


Live, Dream and Learn

by sjst



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Borussia Dortmund, Falling In Love, Friendship, M/M, Sexual Content, Teenage Drama, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-05-16 16:52:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 23,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5833240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sjst/pseuds/sjst
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marco, part of the group of dorky teenagers in the high school, gets suddenly asked to hang out by the most popular kid of the entire high school, Auba.<br/>Sounds weird doesn't it? That's what Marco thinks, too, but he's willing to take the chance(s) he gets, to get together with his crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Take the chance

**Author's Note:**

> I noticed that there aren't a lot of multi chapter Pierreus stories here, so I thought I'd start one :-) it's probably boring and not too exciting, but, I hope that it would bring a smile on some of your faces.  
> I myself probably shouldn't start another multi chapter fic, and I can't promise that I'll continue this, it simply depends on whether I have time or not.  
> Sorry for the mistakes too, English isn't my first language and I struggle a bit with the grammar.  
> Nevertheless if you have read until here, thanks for giving this story a try, and of course your feedback would make me ridiculously happy :-)

Auba. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

The school's admittedly most popular and most liked student, was sitting in the middle of the school cafeteria, chatting loudly with his friends. 

Marco had been staring at him for a good while now, he knew it, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Because who wouldn't stare at Auba? He was the most gorgeous boy of the entire high school, the captain of the football team, the one with the most trendy clothes, the one with the laugh and smile to kill for. 

"Marco, get a grip!" Erik hissed at him and Marco reluctantly turned his gaze to the math book in front of him. 

Erik and Marco, together with their friends Matze, Marcel and Julian, were sitting at the other end of the cafeteria as far away from everybody else as they possibly could. He and his friends were considered as the 'nerds and geeks'. Nobody ever paid any special attention to them and most of the time they just stayed by themselves, trying to avoid getting into people's ways. 

"Sorry," Marco mumbled. 

"I don't understand why you keep staring at him. Seriously, what's so special about him, other than him being the most popular kid of the school," Erik wondered out loud as he tried to glance at Auba without anyone noticing him. 

"I don't even know myself," Marco lied. He knew exactly why. Pierre was the most gorgeous man he had ever seen in his life, and he had crushed on him helplessly ever since he had seen him for the first time. 

"Please, you were just daydreaming about him again, weren't you?!" Julian teased, which made Marco blushed furiously. "No!" He denied it. He knew it was helpless, all of his few friends already knew that he had fallen for Auba, badly. 

"You don't have to lie Marco, we all know. You should stop it, though," Marcel said and Marco nodded. He couldn't keep just staring at Auba and dream about being together with him. He was Marco Reus, one of the most unpopular kids of the entire school. There was no way he could ever have a chance to even talk to Auba, the leader of the school. Marco should just accept his fate and focus on his studies and keep counting the days when he would finally be out of high school, and maybe start his life. 

 

\---

 

Marco was standing in front of the school, together with Erik. They were waiting for Julian, Marcel and Matze. They were supposed to go to see a movie at Marco's house, since it was Friday. They had just finished geography, and during the lesson they had heard that many of the students were going to a party at Mats Hummels' house, this weekend. Marco and his friends of course weren't invited, so they had decided to have a small gathering of their own.

It was nearly starting to rain and Marco was praying that Julian, Matze and Marcel would come soon, he didn't want to get wet. He liked all of his friends, his 'clique' meant the world to him, but sometimes he really felt annoyed by always waiting for his friends, especially when it was about to rain, and it was Friday. He just wanted to get out of school for the weekend, even if it meant that he wouldn't be seeing Auba in two days. 

Marco was impatiently staring at his shoelaces as he listened to Erik making a call for his mother, telling her about his plans to stay with his friends. That was, until he heard the very special booming laugh not far away from him. 

Marco's head turned around that instant, a sharp sting of pain hitting his neck because of the sudden movement. Marco's eyes found Auba almost instinctively, the handsome boy was standing about ten meters away from Marco with his own groups of friends. Auba was friends with everyone in the school, but his closest friends were Mats Hummels, Roman Bürki, Ilkay Gündogan, Neven Subotic and Nuri Sahin. 

Marco couldn't help but stare at Auba, his flashy smile and his impressive figure. Auba almost always wore jeans together with some longer shirts, something Marco would never be able to do without being afraid of getting judged or laughed at. Everybody looked up to Auba and followed his example, if Auba said that something looked good, the rest of the school thought the same way. Auba had a cap on his head and his backpack hung loosely on one of his shoulders, and no matter how hard Marco tried, he just couldn't stop staring.

He glanced at himself as an instinctive reaction, to check himself out, just in case Auba might look at him. Of course there was no chance of that ever happening, but Marco still did the same way as Auba and hung his backpack on only one of his shoulder, and straightened his shoulders. 

Just then Erik stopped the phone call and turned to Marco who was still staring at popular clique juggling together with a ball, apparently waiting for some of their friends to arrive from their class, just like Marco and Erik. "My mom's okay with me coming home a little later today," Erik said, but then frowned as he saw how Marco clearly wasn't paying any attention at all. 

"Oh God, not again! Marco seriously, you need to stop, at least for our groups' sake!" Erik complained and Marco knew that Erik was right. He allowed himself one last glance of Auba before he turned his gaze to Erik. He shouldn't risk getting his group in trouble in anyway. One wrong move and the whole school would be laughing at them.

"Thank you. And you know, you should stop for your own sake too. You're only breaking your heart," Erik said and Marco nodded again. Erik knew him the best, he was his best friend. Erik knew that Marco was falling in love with Auba more every second. Marco knew that Erik was right, he was breaking his own heart more every second, but he couldn't help it. He was a dreamer and Auba was his favorite dream. 

Erik started to explain something about what movie they should watch, but Marco wasn't really listening. He kept trying to find a way to look at Auba without being noticed. He glanced at Auba one or two times more, successfully, without anyone noticing, but in the third time, he caught Nuri staring back at him. Marco saw him whispering something to Auba's ear, and Marco turned away, absolutely mortified.

Erik was still explaining something, before his face turned pale. "Marco, Auba is walking towards our direction, I repeat, Auba is walking towards our direction," Erik hissed and Marco felt all the blood leaving his face, as well. He didn't dare to turn around to look at Auba, who was probably now walking towards him. Erik gulped as he took a step backwards, which made Marco conscious of the fact that Auba was really close now, and before he knew it, he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

Marco gulped as he looked up and saw Auba's face, closer than he had ever seen him before. Goddamn he was beautiful, Marco was lost in his gaze, so completely and utterly lost. 

"Marco, right?" Auba asked. Marco had no idea why on earth was Auba speaking to him, the nerd, the unpopular, dorky kid. 

"Yeah," Marco said, his voice breaking and he cleared his throat. It was now or never, he needed to stay confident, for once in his life. Auba was actually talking to him, he couldn't blow his chance now. 

"I'm Auba, but you probably know that, already. Anyways, I was just thinking, that it's such a shame that we don't know any better, maybe we should hang out, what do you say?" Auba asked and Marco was lost for words. Was Auba really telling him that they should hang out?! 

"Yes!" Marco said, way too over excitedly, but he couldn't help himself. 

"Great! I'll see you on Monday after school then," Auba said, patting Marco's shoulder, before he walked away. Marco could feel his knees getting weaker. as he was left there with Erik, who was gaping at him with big eyes. Marco saw Auba getting back to his group, all of his friends whistling at him. Something about this wasn't normal, Marco knew that, he was intelligent enough to understand that Auba wouldn't just come to him and ask him to hang out with him, but he tried to push the unpleasant suspicion of Auba just making fun of him to the back of his head.

"What the heck was that?!" Erik asked and Marco opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He was speechless. Was this luck, or some cruel plan against him? He didn't know.


	2. Anxiousness and nervousness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for giving this story a try, your feedback means a lot to me! :-)   
> I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter too, I decided to continue this story for at least a few chapters more, but who know how long this will continue, I don't have any plans yet.   
> Sorry for the mistakes again.

Auba hissed as he walked back to his friends, God, he wished that he wouldn't have had to do that. 

His friends looked at him smugly and whistled. Of course. He had just gone to ask freaking Marco Reus to hang out with him, just because his friends had dared him to do it. They had incited him to ask Marco, one of the dorky kids, to hang out with him, just to see his reaction. They had probably enjoyed Marco looking so confused and surprised, and they would probably enjoy it when they'd incite Auba to be rude to Marco when he'd come to meet him on Monday, actually thinking that Auba would hang out with him.

Auba hated it. He hated that it had to be like this, he hated that he would most likely end up making Marco feel bad. He didn't want to, but his choices were limited. The peer pressure in his group was horrible, even though he as the 'leader'. If he hadn't gone to ask Marco, his friends would've thought that he wouldn't dare, that he was scared. 

Auba wasn't scared, he was brave and confident, that was just who he was. He wouldn't mind playing a prank or two, as long as they were harmless, but somehow, Auba knew that this 'prank' wasn't. It could really hurt Marco's feelings. He knew that his friends wouldn't understand it, or even consider Marco's feelings.

They didn't understand, but Auba understood, because he had been in Marco's situation before. 

Nobody knew it, but before he had moved to Germany a few years ago, he had been the dorky kid in France, the dorky kid only a few people wanted to be friends with. The kid who was afraid of the more popular kids. Right now, Auba was the popular kid, his life had changed when he had arrived to Germany and gotten a new start to his life. He still knew that he was the same humble person he had been in France, though, and he acknowledged that if he had been asked to hang out by the most popular kid in school back then, he surely would've flipped out, out of happiness. 

He was afraid that that might have happened with Marco, too. When he had seen the light in his eyes, the scared and reserved kid starting to glow in front of him, Auba had known that this wasn't going to end well. He shouldn't have listened to his friends' incitations and asked Marco to hang out. 

It's not like he wouldn't have wanted to, he liked Marco, and saw nothing wrong in him, but he just wished that he would've done it in a different way. The last thing he wanted was to make Marco feel bad. Auba actually liked Marco, they had shared a course or two. He didn't know much about him, but what he knew, was that Marco was smart and polite.

Auba knew that if he would have to turn Marco down on Monday, he could crush Marco. He hoped that he could do it in a way that he could explain Marco the situation somehow, and that they could actually hang out, just so that none of his friends would see. 

The thing was that the rest of Auba's group, his friends, looked down on kids like Marco, thinking that they were somehow superior to them. They saw themselves being better than guys like Marco and his friends, somehow, or at least that was what it looked like to Auba. They were using their popularity as their advantage to get their way with some things, they saw themselves as some sort of celebrities. 

Auba didn't want to be like that, but as long as he was friends with all the popular kids at school, he would have to be at least a little like them. The thing he wanted to do, was to teach them not to be so rude towards other people. He didn't want people like Marco and his friends to be afraid of them. 

Auba wished that he could make a change somehow, he really did, but for now, he didn't know if it was possible.

"So, what did he say?" Mats asked even though they had seen Marco's reaction perfectly well, his excitement hadn't left any room for speculations.

"We'll meet on Monday," Auba said, flatly, and then joined the circle of his friends. 

"Ooh, I can't wait to see his face when he actually shows up, thinking that you'd really hang out with him!" Nuri laughed and the rest joined his laughter.

"Why wouldn't I want to hang out with him," Auba muttered under his breath, the whole situation was just so frustrating.

"What did you say?" 

"Nothing." 

Anyways, it's going to be priceless!" Ilkay cheered and the rest of then hummed in agreement, only Auba stayed silent, trying to figure out a way to avoid 'humiliating' Marco. 

"I can't wait for Monday!" 

"Me neither, but firstly, I can't wait for tonight, Selena is going to have a kick-ass party!" Neven said and Auba smiled a little. The party would hopefully be funny, and his friends would stop thinking about Monday for a while. 

Auba hoped that he could enjoy tonight as well, but he just wasn't sure if he could stop thinking about what to do with Marco.

 

\---

 

Marco stared at the TV screen with glassed eyes. He hadn't been able to form a proper thought ever since he had talked with Auba. 

Talked, with Auba. He couldn't get over that fact that Auba, his crush, had talked to him, the most popular and handsome guy in the school had talked to him, the most boring and unnoticed guy in the entire school.

"Marco? Are you okay?" Marcel asked after a while of looking at Marco just staring into the emptiness. 

"Uh, yeah," Marco mumbled and tried to turn his attention back to the movie.

"Don't lie Marco, you're still thinking about Auba, aren't you?" Erik asked and paused the movie. Marco sighed, of course he was still thinking about Auba. 

After Auba had left him and Erik just standing there, his other friends had arrived and Erik had quickly let them in the situation, telling them all the details of what had happened. Marco had been somewhat unable to communicate, and he wasn't a lot better now. After a few moments of pure mayhem as Erik had tried to assure their friends that it had actually happened, they had agreed on just going on with their plans, since Marco had shut up and refused to talk, because he simply had been too shocked to say anything.

"Yeah," Marco said. "I just can't get over the fact that he talked to me! Me out of all people, I just don't understand why!" Marco let out now, he knew he could be honest with his friends and that they were still curious about the incident, they had just been polite enough at the school not to question him there. 

"It really is weird, it sounds almost too good to be true, or like, you know. It's super weird, he had never even laid a look on any of us before," Matze said and Marco nodded. Auba had probably never even looked at him before. 

"That's why I can't understand why he would just ask me to hang out. I mean, I'm not really a person people want to be around with, I'm not attractive, I'm not popular, I am not that funny either-" 

"Stop it, Marco. You're everything that, well, expect the popular part. Maybe Auba has just realized it now," Erik said and Marco smiled at his friend. Erik was a great friend, he always knew how to make Marco feel better when he felt insecure. 

"I don't know, but I also can't shake off the thought that this would be some cruel plan against me. What if they're going to humiliate me!?"

"You're right, this doesn't sound completely right, but I guess that we don't have much choice, you will just have to try to find out, somehow," Matze reasoned. Marco nodded, he was right. He was going to see Auba, risking getting humiliated, but, maybe it was true. Maybe Auba really wanted to see him. 

Marco's palms were sweaty and he felt his stomach turning around, he was nervous as hell already and it surely wouldn't get any better before Monday.

 

\---

 

Marco had been right, he had been in full blown panic all Sunday, even his mother and father had asked him if something was wrong with him. Marco had just shushed him, and lied that he had a big test coming up. Such a lie, Marco was never nervous before tests. His older sister had noticed that something unusual was happening, too, so she had questioned Marco, but Marco had shushed her as well, he really didn't want anyone to know. 

He only texted to Erik all the time, hoping that his best friend would have some advice for him. Erik had tried to calm Marco down, but he hadn't really known how to give him advice because it was such an unusual situation for both of them. Nothing like this had ever happened to them.

Marco had tried on all of his clothes, never truly satisfied with his apprentice, but he didn't have much choice. He would be himself and hope that there was actually even a slight chance that this all could actually be happening, and that something bad wouldn't happen. 

Monday morning came and Marco went to school, not knowing what would happen in the afternoon.


	3. The encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for following this story and giving me comments and kudos, it means a lot!  
> I hope that you'll like this chapter also, and of course I'd love to hear what you think about it :-)  
> Sorry for the mistakes.

Auba groaned as he stuffed his geography books in his backpack, nervously bracing himself for the upcoming. 

He was supposed to meet Marco at the school yard, right now after their classes had ended. Auba was nervous as hell, he hadn't yet been this nervous on Friday. 

He was anxious, too, because he had been thinking about Marco all weekend. Auba didn't know much about Marco before hand, but he did remember bits and pieces of memories of Marco talking or just walking around. The only thing Auba really realized, was, that he had been watching, or rather paying a lot of attention to Marco without really noticing it himself. He had quite a few of memories of Marco wearing different outfits, Marco playing cards with his friend, Marco with a focused expression with his face glued to a book in front of him, Marco chatting with his friends, Marco eating...

Auba wasn't really sure why he noticed this only now, not that he minded. It just made things a little more difficult to him, because now he only wanted to be even more gentle with Marco, he feared even more that he would hurt his feelings. 

Marco was wonderful and somehow intriguing at the same time, Auba didn't want him to feel bad, he didn't want to hurt him. And the truth was, that if his friends would come to see their encounter, like they probably would, Auba couldn't be too gentle with Marco. 

He wanted to, but he couldn't. He didn't want to be judged, he didn't want to be questioned, he didn't want his position in the the school to shake. 

That's why, he had come up with a plan. Maybe it was a ridiculous plan, but a plan nevertheless. 

He had a small piece of paper in his pocket, with a short text and his phone number written on it. The text said: "I'm sorry, please let me make this up to you, call me. -Auba." 

Auba could only hope that he'd manage to give Marco the note somehow, without anyone noticing. He hoped that he could slip it to his hands, if he only could have one moment without any of his friend seeing him...

Auba was brought back to reality by Mats patting his back and dragging him out of the class room. "Can't wait to see Reus' face! Just imagine if he actually showed up, he has no idea! How could he honestly think that you'd hang out with him?" Mats explained enthusiastically before his phone beeped. "Oh my God, Nuri just texted me, he's already there! Come on let's hurry!" Mats said, pushing Auba out of the door of the school building even though Auba was trying to brake with his legs. 

Auba looked up and saw Marco leaning against the door, glancing at his watch and chewing his lips, right on time, waiting for him. Auba gulped as he saw his friends already looking at Marco a little further away from where he was standing. This wouldn't go too well. 

"Come on, go show that Reus guy, we'll surely get a good laugh!" Mats said and then pushed Auba towards Marco.

 

\---

 

Marco glanced at his watch, everybody's class should've already ended by now, and he was supposed to see Auba any minute now. 

His hands were sweaty and his heartbeat was pacing up. He still couldn't quite believe that he was actually standing there. He had thought about chickening out more than once during the day. He wasn't of course sure if Auba was even going to show up, though. 

Marco wore a blue button up denim shirt with the black trousers he always preferred to wear. He had probably never been so conscious about how he looked, and he had become more conscious every second he was waiting. He had chewed on his lips and counted backwards in his head, he had been sure that the waiting would kill him, even though he had only stood there for a few minutes since his class had ended early. 

Erik and his other friends had gone home already, wishing him luck. Erik had asked Marco to call him afterwards, whether he really did meet Auba or not. Marco had agreed, regardless of how this would end, it would be good to talk about it with Erik. 

Then, as Marco took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, he saw Auba, being pushed towards him by Mats Hummels.  
Marco gulped and straightened his shoulders, this was it, either he'd be doomed or he'd be the luckiest man on earth. 

 

\---

 

"Hey, Reus!" Auba said. Mats had gone to stand behind a corner, not far away from him and Marco, so he could hear them. Auba cursed his luck, now Mats was expecting him to be rude to Marco. 

"Auba," Marco said with a beautiful voice that made Auba's heart ache and flip. Marco's voice was so full of hope, and he was smiling . 

"You actually came here, didn't you? You actually thought that I'd hang out with you!? Hah!" Auba laughed, forcing the words out of his mouth and he heard Mats laughing too. The words tasted so bitter, he hated to do this. 

"You asked, didn't you?" Marco asked, his voice losing its spark immediately. He was right to sound like that, Auba had been downright rude already. 

"Yeah, but please, why would I want to hang out with you? Did the thought of me being a little out of your league ever cross your mind?" Auba said, forcing his voice to sound mocking. 

"I- I don't know," Marco muttered, completely embarrassed by now, looking down. 

"What don't you know? Give me a break Reus!" Auba said, hoping that he could still somehow change the situation, but after he saw the look on his friends' faces, he knew that there was no turning back. 

Marco however looked so crushed and vulnerable, like he was about to fall apart any second. Auba needed to give him the note somehow, he just needed to. He laughed for a moment, desperately trying to figure out a way to give Marco the note, when he saw Marco's shirt. The shirt had a pocket on Marco's chest, and it was open, if Auba was lucky enough, he could try to get the note in there. 

"Just go to your own friends!" Auba said, pushing Marco on his chest with two hands, hiding the note to Marco's pocket with his other hand.

Marco stumbled backwards and didn't even say anything anymore as he walked away, his head hanging low like his shoulders. 

Auba prayed that Marco would find the note. 

 

\---

 

Marco sighed against his pillow. 

Stupid. 

That's what he felt like. Of course he had fallen for a prank, of course Auba hadn't wanted to see him. He had been humiliated in front of the entire school. The mocking laughs, made by Auba's friends and Auba himself had felt simply awful.

Marco shouldn't even have gone to see Auba, he shouldn't have been so stupid to go there. He could've avoided feeling this bad if he hadn't simply gone. Marco felt really bad, he didn't want to admit it, but he did. He had tried to assure himself that he would be strong enough to face the consequences of possibly being rejected, but the truth was that he wasn't. 

It hurt like hell, he had been laying on his bed for several hours now, not being able to do anything. He had cried, he had kicked himself over and over again for going in his mind. 

What hurt even more than Auba treating him like that, was that now he knew that he and Auba could never be anything. Auba seemed to hate him and not like him at all, so all Marco's dreams of ever being with him were now crushed. His crush was an idiot. 

Marco turned on his side and just then, his phone rang. He hadn't even glanced at his phone, just wanting to isolate himself from the world for a few hours. His screen lit up with Erik's name on it. 

"Hi," Marco answered. 

"Marco! So you are still alive! Don't you dare to ignore my texts for that long, ever! 

"I'm sorry. I just really wasn't in the mood to talk." 

"Oh. So it went bad?" 

"Yeah," Marco said and sniffed. 

"I'm so sorry, Marco," Erik said. "If I could do something, I would. You have no idea how much I want to have a few words with him now." 

"It's alright, I probably deserved it for being stupid." 

"Wait, what did he do?" 

"He mocked me and accused me for being so stupid to actually think that he'd meet me. He laughed at me and then pushed me with his hands," Marco said, painfully reliving all the memories in his head. 

"What?! Oh God, I want to punch him!" Erik groaned at the other end of the line. Marco felt a little better, at least he still had Erik. 

"Thanks Erik, but I really don't want to talk about this now-" Marco said but was interrupted by his mother shouting from downstairs, asking him to come to dinner. "I'm sorry, my mom just asked me to go to dinner. Maybe we can text later?" 

"Of course Marco, no worries. Try to eat something, will you?" 

"I will, good bye!" Marco said and then hung up the phone. 

He groaned as he got up, not having moved in hours. He stretched his Iimbs and decided to chance his shirt since it was still stained with some tears. He lifted the shirt over his head, and noticed, that a small peace of paper fell on the ground.


	4. An important chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for still reading this story and leaving wonderful feedback, it means the world to me and makes me very motivated!  
> Here's another chapter, I hope that you'll like it, and as always I'd love to hear what you think about it :-)  
> Sorry for the mistakes, English isn't my first language.

Marco frowned as he lifted the paper up from the ground. "I'm sorry, please let me make this up to you, call me. -Auba." 

When had Auba been able to give this to him and how hadn't he noticed it?

Marco straightened the crumbled note in his hands, reading it over and over again. He certainly hadn't expected this. He had been sure that Auba didn't want anything with him, he had just wanted to humiliate him and make him feel bad. This changed everything. 

Did Auba have good intentions after all?

But why had Auba humiliated him in the first place, then?

The questions were drumming in Marco's head. He just couldn't put the pieces together. Auba had been downright rude to him, he had called him stupid and made it very clear that he had no intention to want to be with Marco, and now he was suddenly apologizing. Or not necessarily suddenly, Marco wasn't quite sure how long the note had been in his pocket but he assumed that Auba had slipped it in there once he had pushed him with his hands. 

But what was Auba's motive to give him the note? To apologize Marco? Did he have a bad conscience of what he did? It couldn't be, Marco thought. He couldn't just want to apologize to him, because if he actually wanted to talk to Marco and give him his number, he wouldn't have hurt Marco in the first place. 

Marco ran his fingers over Auba's number. The thought of actually having it was thrilling, even though he couldn't even be sure if it was Auba's real number. 

Marco glanced at his phone, his mind wanting to type Auba's number in it and text him. But he knew that he couldn't do that. 

What if this was just another prank? Just one more thing to humiliate Marco even more and make sure that the entire school would be laughing at him. The things Auba and his clique could do could really be cruel and Marco's throat tightened as he thought about the possibilities of what it could be like. He already felt embarrassed enough about what had happened, he was sure that tomorrow when he'd go to school someone might laugh at him and he'd surely try to hide away from everything all day. 

Marco knew that he didn't want to take another risk of being hurt. He didn't want to be used again, to be laughed at again. He just couldn't take it, he didn't want to. 

As much as he liked Auba, he couldn't take the risk again. 

If Auba wanted to get closer to him, he should do it himself. 

 

\---

 

Auba ran his fingers through his hair, glancing around the school hallways. 

All night last night, and for the entire morning, he had been waiting for Marco's call, text, anything. He had barely slept, just staring at his phone, waiting for it to light up with one special notification he had wanted, but never got. He had nearly cried because he hadn't had Marco's number, he would've wanted to apologize to him so badly, he had wanted to explain himself but he hadn't been able to. In his mind he had gone through all his contacts, trying to figure out a way to get Marco's number but he hadn't come up with anything. 

He hadn't gotten a single message or call from Marco, no matter how much he prayed that he would have. He wondered if Marco had even noticed his note, after all there were chances that he hadn't, but, he was pretty sure that he had gotten it, after all. 

He just wanted to tell Marco everything, he wanted to explain himself and talk about what had happened with him. He wanted to make it up to Marco, take him to eat or something, anything Marco wanted. Firstly, he would just need to get in touch with Marco. Again, without anyone noticing him. 

Which was relatively hard, considering that someone's eyes were always on him, watching his every move. His phone was beeping with the messages he'd rather not see right now, as much as he liked his friends. 

If Auba remembered correctly, he'd have biology later today. Marco should also have biology, and Auba prayed that Marco would show up. He needed to talk to him then, or he'd get crazy. There had to be a way.

Auba flinched as suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Mats, laughing at him. "What makes you so scared Boss?" Mats asked using the nickname he had given Auba some time ago. 

"Ugh, nothing," Auba said and started to walk towards the cafeteria with Mats. 

"You've been so quiet lately, are you sure everything's alright?" 

"Yeah, I'd tell you if something was up," Auba said. Such a lie. He could tell his friends what was up if it had nothing to do Marco or his love life, but he didn't want them to find out the real truth. 

Auba walked quietly next to Mats who was talking about something Auba hadn't really paid attention to, as the turned around the corner and Auba's heart nearly stopped.

Marco walked next to his friend, Erik, if Auba remembered the name correctly, looking down to his feet. His posture looked exhausted, and his shoulders hung low. Erik whispered something to his ear and Marco looked up, glancing at Auba. Auba looked back at him with a smile, but Marco didn't return it, instead, he lowered his gaze again and kept walking. 

Auba needed to get to Marco as soon as possible

 

\---

 

Marco slowly started to pack his biology books, feeling emotionally unstable. 

The day had gone alright for him, apart from feeling vulnerable as hell and wanting to disappear. He had heard some laughs and faced some curious glances, but he had expected nothing less, most of the school had probably heard about what had happened yesterday. 

Erik had been there for him though, just like the rest of his friends, giving him the support he needed. His friends had listened to him as he explained them what had happened with Auba, how he had found the note and how he was just planning on keeping low profile. When Erik and him had been alone, he had let him into his doubts though, explaining him how a part of him was ready to forgive Auba and text him. 

Erik had been very understanding and listened to Marco. He had tried to give him advice the best he could, and found words that comforted Marco. He had also reasoned that he shouldn't forgive Auba yet though, and that was what Marco had thought too. That was, before he had seen Auba on the hallway.

Auba had smiled to him, in a way that hadn't been mean at all. His smile had seemed so genuine and so full of goodwill. Marco's hopes of Auba having changed his mind and having good intentions had gotten up again. He had quickly lowered his gaze and blushed, not being able to look at Auba for a second longer. He had needed to stay strong. 

Partly he had been able to do that, for the entire biology lesson he had just looked straight on the board, trying to keep his eyes away from Auba as best as he could. Auba sat behind him, so it was fairly easy, but somehow, Marco hadn't been able to concentrate. For the entire lesson he had felt like someone had been staring at his back. 

Now he tried to gather his things and leave the class. He however struggled with the zipper of his backpack and groaned in frustration, he just wanted to get home and cry in self pity for a while more. When he finally got the zipper open, he looked around and noticed that the entire class was almost empty, with a few exceptions who left soon after, as Marco was still putting his books in his back. 

Marco raised the heavy backpack on his shoulder but the gasped loudly, as he suddenly saw Auba in front of him. Marco gulped and faced the face of his crush, right in front of him.


	5. And we meet again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't thank you enough for the wonderful feedback you have given me, it really means a lot!   
> Here's a new chapter, sorry that it took so long and sorry for the mistakes in it. I hope that you'll still like it and I'd be more than happy to hear what you think about it! :-)

Marco inhaled sharply as he saw Auba standing right in front of him.

He watched the slightly older teenager with big eyes, his heartbeat not waiting a moment to start beating like crazy. His throat felt dry and he could barely look into Auba's eyes, he hated his reactions but he couldn't help them. He had always dreamed of Auba being this close to him, looking at him like this. This time, Auba's gaze wasn't mocking or scary, it was purely curious. 

"Marco, please, could we talk?" Auba asked. Marco's eyes grew even bigger as he heard the tone of Auba's voice, which was nowhere near as confident as it usually was.

"Ugh, why?" Marco stammered, embarrassed. He hadn't wanted to sound like this, but he still didn't know what to do. Even if Auba sounded as if he was regretting what he had done, Marco couldn't know if he could trust him anymore. 

"I want to explain to you why I did what I did back then. Believe me, I'm so sorry, I want to make this up to you," Auba said still looking right into Marco's eyes, making it hard for Marco to concentrate. 

"Umm, I don't know..." Marco said, looking down at his feet. He cursed himself, why couldn't he even talk properly? Why was Auba's effect on him so strong? 

"Please? I promise you, I don't have any bad intentions. Just let me talk to you," Auba begged with a pleading voice, making Marco look at him again.

"A-alright," Marco said, not caring of how quickly he gave in to Auba's pleas. Auba smiled his brightest smile and Marco was sure that his heart missed at least two beats, as Auba grabbed his arm and started to pull him out of the class room. "Where are we going?" Marco croaked out. A small part of his mind was still afraid that this could be another prank, that he would be dragged somewhere to be humiliated even more. 

"Just somewhere where we can talk in private," Auba said, still pulling Marco with him. Marco stumbled with his steps, following Auba who had longer legs than he did. They went around the school, behind the parking lot and the PE building, before Auba finally stopped, after leading them to a corner between two buildings, well hidden from every spectator they could have had. 

Auba was just as breathless as Marco was by the time they got there, as he turned to look at Marco. Marco was gasping his breath, not because of the fast walk, but because of Auba's shining eyes looking at him. Auba smiled before he turned serious again, clearing his throat before he began to speak. 

"So Marco, umm, I wanted to apologize for what I did yesterday. It was horrible and believe me, I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to hurt you, it was never my intention, I'm sorry," Auba said and cast down his eyes, as if he were ashamed. 

"But I don't get it, if you didn't want to hurt me, why did you then insult me?" Marco asked, having difficulties with finding the right words. He would give Auba a chance to explain himself, as long as he'd get some answers. 

"It is because of my friends... I bet that this is hard for you to understand, but because of my reputation and what people expect from me, I couldn't have treated you nicely in order not to cause any confusion," Auba said and Marco just nodded. 

"I get it. You're the popular kid, I'm the dork, it's not a hard concept to understand." 

"You're not a dork!" Auba said abruptly, as if he was insulted by Marco calling himself a dork. 

"But that's why you did it, right? I'm an easy target, that's why you needed to humiliate me in order to show the school that you're in charge!" Marco said, letting his frustration break free. 

"No! Or well, my friends did it, and I just couldn't say no. I really wanted to, but I couldn't. I'm a coward, I know. I just feel really bad about this and I hope that you understand that I'm not rude, I don't want to intentionally hurt anyone," Auba said, making puppy eyes. "Please, Marco, you have to believe me!" 

Marco thought about Auba's words for a while, thinking about his next words, and whether he should forgive him or not. "It's kind of hard to believe," Marco said, even though he knew Auba's friends and their reputation very well, after observing them for quite a while.

"I know that it is. And you shouldn't believe me or forgive me right away, I understand why you're hesitating. That's why I'm asking for a second chance. Would you please give me another shot to be your friend? Auba asked. "It would be just the two of us like this, with no one else involved."

"Why would you want to be my friend?" Marco asked, surprised. This he hadn't expected. 

"Because you're a nice guy Marco, frankly speaking you're a lot more intelligent than my friends and you always seem to have fun with your friends. You're kind to other people and often make them laugh, I have noticed that. I want to make this up to you and have a chance to make you laugh, too, and make you feel better than yesterday." 

"I- umm..." Marco mumbled as he felt his cheeks reddening and his pulse going up again. "Sure, why not," he said, not being able to believe his luck and that this was really happening. 

"Great! Thank you so much! Now, if you would text me tonight, I'd really appreciate it, because I'd like to have your number," Auba said, making the red color on Marco's cheeks deepen. 

"I will," Marco said, still not really sure what he was getting himself into.

"Thank you, Marco, I really mean it." Auba said, before he glanced at his watch. "Anyway, I gotta run now. I'll wait for your text." Marco didn't even have a chance to say anything before he felt Auba's arms around his back, not very tightly, but still hugging him, nevertheless. 

Marco didn't pull himself together in time to hug Auba back, before he had already pulled away. He only smiled once more and winked, leaving Marco standing there, wondering what on earth had just happened. 

 

\---

 

Auba laid on his bed, feeling awfully content. 

He had managed to talk to Marco, managed to convince him to spend time with him again, managed to get himself a chance to show the real Auba to Marco. Auba would make sure that he would make the best out of his chance, he would show Marco that he could be a funny guy and that he was nice, too. 

He made up so many scenarios in his mind, so many scenarios about what could happen when they'd meet again. He imagined what he should wear, what they should talk about, how Marco would look like...

Without actually realizing it, Auba had made up scenarios about how he could charm Marco and court him. But when he did realize it, he blushed and groaned into his pillow. 

No, no, no. 

Before he had stated high school, Auba had sworn to himself that he wouldn't get himself a crush and that he wouldn't fall in love with anyone. 

It would just be too hard for him. So far nobody knew about him being gay, and he himself had a hard time accepting it at times. He had been sure that he couldn't find someone who would accept himself the way he was, and ever return his feelings. He had been determined not to do anything about his love life until he'd finish high school and possibly go to a university. 

But right now, he noticed that he was starting to develop a crush on Marco, whether he wanted or not. 

Auba hadn't wanted that in the first place, but the thought of being closer to Marco and taking him on dates, seemed awfully tempting and something Auba really wanted to try. He could almost forget about his status and friends as he thought about Marco and him, having a great time together, not having to pretend to anyone.

He wanted to try it with Marco, even though his mind was screaming that he shouldn't, hell, he wasn't even sure if Marco's was gay. 

Auba's mood was starting to turn sour as he glanced at his phone, hoping that Marco would soon send him a message. Of course, there was the chance that he didn't want anything with him after all. Maybe Auba had screwed up his chance already. 

He hid his face to the pillow and sighed, just thinking for a while, letting his nervous state kick in. 

His mind was spinning with worries, but luckily they soon evaporated, as his phone lit up. 

"So, what should we do tomorrow?"   
Marco


	6. A 'date'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for the feedback you've given me on this story, it means a lot and has made me very happy! :-)   
> I hope that you will also like this chapter, as you can see, things are moving forward and Marco and Auba will start getting closer. I would love to hear what you think about this, and sorry for the mistakes, there will surely be some.

"So, are you ready for your big date?" Erik asked, putting his hand on Marco's shoulder. 

"It's not a date!" Marco said, even though he was not able to hide his smile.

Last night after he had finally dared to sent the message to Auba, he had been all anxious and happy about his life, again. Auba had been so nice to him, so kind and sweet, just like Marco had always imagined him to be, in his dreams. Marco had gotten a reply quickly, Auba had suggested that they should meet in a park nearby the school once they both would have finished their classes. Marco's fingers had trembled as he had typed an answer, excitedly waiting for their 'date'. 

Marco knew that it wasn't a date, it would only be a meeting in plan friends. Marco was fine with that, even though his mind refused to accept it and he was preparing himself for a date. For Marco it kind of would be a date, he had always dreamed of spending time with Auba, even having a chance to be his friend was huge for Marco. Marco was fairly sure that Auba wouldn't fail him this time, he wouldn't get him into another prank. 

Marco had been so anxious that he had barely caught any sleep as he had been thinking about what could happen today. He had made up almost every possible scenario in his mind, just thinking about what they could talk about and what they would do. 

Auba had suggested that they should go to eat to a small restaurant not far away from their school and Marco had been happy to agree. He would do almost anything if it included the two of them being together.

When Marco had come home he had already been ridiculously nervous, ready to jump out of his own skin. He had made his mother suspicious when he hadn't been able to eat anything in the morning, due to his nervousness. He had changed his clothes many times, before he had had to run out of the door to make it to school in time.

He had again had biology, where he had seen Auba. Auba had shyly smiled at him before he had joined his friends again, before the class had begun. Marco had smiled back at him, before he had contently started making notes about what the teacher was lecturing about. After the class, he had seen his friends and eaten a little lunch with them.

Now, he was chatting with Erik, who was constantly asking him questions and talking to him about his date. Not that Marco minded, he was glad that Erik stood by his side on this matter and that he was feeling jealous or anything. Erik was a true friend and Marco appreciated that. 

"It is a date, at least you want it to be," Erik said.

"You're right, but don't mention it to anyone because if this goes badly I will-" Marco began but Erik interrupted him. 

"I really hope that it won't go badly, but based on what you told me, Auba seems to have good intentions. Just try to relax, will you?" 

"I will try to. Thank you Erik, for supporting me, I mean. I don't know what I would have done without you." 

"You deserve it Marco. Just call me later, and tell me how it goes, alright?" 

"Of course I will," Marco said, and Erik just smiled and waved him good bye before he left Marco standing there, taking deep breaths, readying himself to go to the park where he'd meet Auba in a few minutes.

 

\---

 

Auba stood at the parking lot, checking himself out one last time. He glanced at his watch and just as he raised his gaze, he saw Marco, walking towards him from behind the corner. 

 

Auba gulped as he slipped his smartphone in his pocket and fixed his eyes on Marco, who was smiling at him already from afar. Auba smiled, too, as he saw him, but it was hard to keep the smile on because of the emotions surging through him. 

Marco looked so good as he got closer, his hair styled perfectly, the color of it almost matching the slim pants he wore, together with a black leather jacket. Auba was blown away but Marco's handsomeness and the effect it had on him, this was something Auba hadn't expect, but he could only blame himself for letting his thoughts get out of control last night.

"Hey!" Auba said, as Marco took the last few steps towards him. 

"Hi, good to see you again," Marco said and Auba could hear from his voice that he was actually really revealed that Auba had showed up, and not disappointed him again. 

"Good to see you, too. Are you ready to go then?" Auba asked, not wanting to wait for a moment too long to get to a more secluded place. 

"Yeah, just lead the way," Marco said and Auba nodded, starting to lead them to the restaurant.

For the first moments Auba walked silently, as did Marco. It looked like neither of them seemed up to have anything to say. Auba desperately tried to figure something out, he didn't want Marco to feel awkward. He could only hope that the reason why Marco wasn't saying anything was because he was nervous. Because hell, Auba hadn't been this nervous in his life and he had been in some quite tricky situations. 

Auba kept leading them to the restaurant, which luckily wasn't far away. It wasn't popular amongst the teenagers of the area, and Auba only knew the place because a family friend owned it. The prices were decent and it was pretty secluded, so Auba thought that it was a good option. 

"Do you have anything specific you'd want to eat?" Auba asked, sounding insanely insecure even to his own ears. 

"No, not really, anything would be fine," Marco said, showing Auba a weak smile.

"We're almost at the restaurant I was talking about. I hope that you'll like the food there, I've been there pretty often, I know the guy who owns, it," Auba said and Marco nodded, not saying anything. 

"I'm sorry that I'm not saying much, I'm just really nervous," Marco said, surprising Auba with his honesty. 

"I am, too. But see, the restaurant is already there!" Auba said, pointing at the corner of a building not far away from them. Auba started walking a little faster, desperately wanting to get out of the street and have a better place to try to talk properly with Marco. He led Marco to the entrance and opened him the door, noticing gladly how Marco blushed as he did so. 

"Hi, Auba!" Bill, the owner of the place said. "Hi!" Auba greeted Bill back, showing him a smile. Marco was standing at the background, observing the station. 

"So the same as usual?" Bill asked, referring to the dish Auba normally ordered before he noticed Marco and looked at Auba curiously. Usually, Auba came here alone, to escape some of his own problems. 

"Yeah, umm, no. This is Marco, a... friend," Auba said, insecurely looking at Marco because he didn't know if they actually even were friends, yet. Marco however wasn't looking at Auba, and didn't seem to have a reaction to what he had just said.

"Sure, well, just sit wherever you want and I'll come to ask what you want soon," Bill said and Auba nodded gratefully, taking Marco by the arm. He led them to a booth near to one of the windows. 

"This place seems nice," Marco said, taking off his jacket as he sat opposite to Auba. 

"I'm glad that you like it. And look, I'm sorry that I called you my friend, I just didn't know how else-" 

"Aren't we? Friends, I mean," Marco said, surprising Auba. 

"I, eh, no I guess?" Auba stammered, before he saw Marco's face fall and he realized his mistake. "I mean, not before I make up for what I did and before I get to know you more." 

"Well, I guess that we better start then," Marco said, smiling. "What would you like to know about me?" he asked and Auba questioned his luck again. Where should he even begin? He wanted to know everything about Marco.

"Everything, pretty much," he said, without lying and then Marco started to speak, telling Auba about himself. 

Marco talked for a time that seemed quite long, only pausing for the moments when Bill came to take their orders and when he brought them their food. Marco didn't seem to think much about his life, in between asking Auba if he was already bored but Auba never said that, he could never be bored of seeing Marco talking about his life, he wanted to know every single bit. 

When Marco paused for a moment to take a bite of his food, Auba took the chance to ask him questions or talk about himself, telling Marco everything he could tell him. He really liked Marco and he could only hope that Marco would like him as much, or even enough for them to be friends and sometimes spend time together, though Marco seemed to be fine with the idea so far. 

Marco listened to him attentively as well, as if he wanted to know more about Auba. During their walk to the restaurant Auba had feared that it could have been awkward between them, but it hadn't been, at all. Marco had been even more talkative once Auba started to know him more, and they ended up being having quite a few interests they shared. 

"Anyway, you must be bored of me," Marco said as he took the last bite of his hamburger and blushed after he realized that he had talked about football for the past half an hour. 

"I'm not! You're very interesting. I genuinely like talking to you," Auba said, his face serious. "And I like you as a person, too," he added, blushing and fearing that he had made a fool out of himself. 

"Thank you, and I like you too. I didn't know that there could be so much behind the Auba everybody knew," Marco said. Auba wanted to smile like a lunatic but remembered that there was something he wanted to say before their 'date' would end,

"Anyway, I was planning if you might want to-" he began before he glanced out of the window and gasped. 

Ilkay.


	7. Coming over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for leaving me feedback, I value it highly and can't thank you enough!  
> Here's another chapter - a longer one for instance. As you read it you can probably sense that things are moving on, and I hope that you'll like it :-)   
> I'd love to hear what you think about it, and I'm sorry for the mistakes again.

Marco's jaw dropped as he watched Auba slide under the table, faster than he had ever seen anyone move. 

"What are you doing?!" Marco asked, he hadn't even finished his sentence before he had suddenly dropped down his chair. 

"Ilkay is outside!" Auba groaned, still under the table. Marco looked out of the window and indeed noticed Ilkay, passing by with some of his friends, smoking and laughing. Marco watched them walking by, luckily they didn't notice him, nor Auba, and soon they were already out of sight. 

"Don't worry, he's gone now," Marco said. 

"Sure?" 

"Yes." 

Auba peeked at first, looking around, before he raised himself back up on his seat. "I sorry about that," he sighed. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be here, I was just scared, I hope that you understand." 

Marco looked at Auba a little confused, still not recovered from what had just happened. "Yeah, I understand, or well, I don't. I mean, I, myself don't understand why you have to do that, but after all, I'm not you, so I can't know how do you feel about this situation," Marco said. It was true, he didn't understand why did Auba have to hide his true nature, the kind and sweet man he was. What everybody else saw was the cold and popular Auba, but they knew nothing about the man who Auba really was. 

"Thank you for understanding. This just is better for both of us, I guess. I don't know how to explain being with you to my friends, and I don't want to cause you anymore trouble, either," Auba said, clearly bothered by the situation, and Marco felt sorry for him. 

"I'll try to understand even better, but let's not ruin the mood with this now. What were you about to say when you saw Ilkay?" Marco asked, wanting to change the atmosphere to what it had been.

"Eh, yes, that... I was thinking if you'd want to meet me again, sometime," Auba said, surprising Marco, but moreover making the biggest smile spread on his face. 

"Of course I would!" 

"Really? Even though I'm a little out of your league," Auba chuckled. 

"What? Out of my league? That's the biggest lie I've ever heard!" Marco said, not understanding how Auba could be the one wanting to see him again. 

"Alright then," Auba said, smiling. "I guess I'll have to find an even more secluded place for us, where to meet again." 

"How about my place?" Marco asked, before he would think his decision further. 

"That would be amazing!" Auba said, smiling brightly. 

"I know that it isn't an ideal place, but there we can surely be alone. Nobody will see us there, though I doubt that we can keep meeting secretly for too long. Someone is bound to find out at some point." 

"You're right, but let's not worry about that now, okay? At least I can't wait to spend more time with you and get to know you even more." 

"Me neither," Marco said, and with those words, he just smiled, and promised himself not to worry too much. Not now. 

 

\---

 

Auba sat by the football field, sweaty and worn out after the match they had just played. 

It was Saturday and he was in the middle of his teammates, just waiting for a right moment to rush home. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about Marco, no matter what he did. Ever since their 'date', he had been talking to Marco via text messages almost constantly, and when he hadn't been talking with him, he had dreamed of him. They had grown much closer, never seeming to run out of things to talk about. 

It seemed that no matter how much he tried to think of Marco as only a his friend, he failed. He had tried to, he had really tried to think that they couldn't be anything else but he knew that he couldn't think that way anymore when his subconscious mind had failed him. He had had a dream, in which he had kissed Marco, right on the lips, and Marco hadn't backed away. 

Auba sighed deeply as he thought about it. He cursed his mind. He couldn't really kiss Marco, and he just wished that he would be able to stop thinking about it, but he couldn't. He only wished that it was somehow possible. Right now, he was willing to risk everything that he had, his reputation, his friends, his everything just for that one kiss. 

"Why are you so out there?" Mats asked, sitting next to him. 

"I was just thinking," Auba said, not caring to explain. 

"Anyway, you're coming to the party on Sunday, right?" 

"Uhm, actually, no. I have something else to do," Auba said, realizing that he didn't know how could he always make excuses if he'd see Marco more often. 

"What?" 

"A family gathering." 

"Oh okay, well, too bad. Surely Selena and Elise would have wanted to you there," Mats said and winked, making Auba growl inwardly. Yes, everybody thought that he was interested in girls. Therefore it was even riskier if he ended up getting together with Marco. 

"Yeah, we'll see, maybe later, I'll go now," Auba said, leaving a slightly confused Mats behind him, knowing that he would probably have to explain himself later. But right now, he was only focused on tomorrow. 

 

\---

 

Marco was now eagerly waiting for Auba, who was supposed to arrive at any moment. It was Sunday now, they'd both have time today and surely wouldn't be disturbed by anyone, after clearing their schedules. 

Marco had had a bit of a hard time trying to get his parents out of their home, together with his sisters, in order to be alone with Auba. None of them had believed him when Marco had tried to convince them that he was only going to have a friend over. His sisters knew that he was gay, but his parents didn't, and when their parents had left he had been cornered by his sisters, both of them asking him dozens of questions about who his boyfriend was. Marco had somehow managed to keep his cool and avoided telling them anything, by buying them both movie tickets and pushing them out of the door. 

He had then proceeded to take a shower and dress himself up, maybe a bit more elegantly than really needed but he couldn't help himself. He and Auba had had quite a heated debate about which one of them would be better at playing FIFA, Marco was convinced that he would kick Auba's ass, and he had been more than glad when Auba had proposed that they should play, and the one who would lose would buy the other one pizza. 

Just when Marco thought about it, the doorbell rang and he nearly slipped to a rug as he hurried to the door and opened it. Auba stood behind it, looking ridiculously good in his tight jeans and a casual sweater. Marco gulped, he shouldn't let his thoughts run too wildly already. 

"Hey!" Auba greeted him, stepped inside and hugged him. Oh god, this was going to be hard for Marco. Marco hugged him back, squeezing him tightly, not even bothering to care about how his mind was spinning around the fact that Auba's body was pressed against him.

"Hi!" Marco said back, as Auba pulled away. 

Marco then pulled him into the apartment and showed him around. Auba looked around, fascinated, before they came into Marco's room. 

"So this is it," Marco said, presenting his simple room to Auba, who still looked mesmerized. 

"This looks nice!" He said. 

"It's not so fancy." 

"Don't be so modest, there are nice things here!" Auba said, pointing at the football posters on the walls and the small collection of books Marco had. 

"Thank you," Marco said as he blushed, feeling more relaxed now as everything was going well again. 

"That especially looks good!" Auba said, now pointing at the play station under Marco's small television. 

"Aha, yes, I guess that we should really see who's buying the pizza!" Marco said, before giving Auba a controller and starting to play. 

The atmosphere in the room was lighthearted and relaxed, as they played and changed a few words in between, both making a few sloppy mistakes as they were too focused on each other than actually playing. Marco ended up winning though, and he triumphantly yelled as he punched Auba gently.

"Maybe you can win your friends, but not me!" Marco laughed, and Auba did too, but Marco saw that his mood change a bit. 

"I'm sorry for mentioning your friends." 

"Oh don't worry about it, it's fine, really." 

"I actually kind of wanted to ask you something, I hope that I won't ruin the mood..." Marco said, hoping that Auba wouldn't mind him asking. He had been thinking about Auba's situation during the weekend and wondered if Auba thought about it, too. "Is the situation with your friends worrying you again?" 

"Kind of. Everything is the same as usual, but Mats just reminded me yesterday that I should have met Selena and Elise today, and it kind of threw me off even more. Hell, I don't want to meet any of them, specially since Mats was talking about a date."

"You should have to meet them, then. They seem nice though, maybe it wouldn't be bad even if you had to meet them." 

"I... I just don't want to, it's hard to explain. If things were differently, I could introduce you to either of them," Auba said, making Marco gulp. "I'm sure that they would be interested in you." 

"Uh, no, I don't think so, and I wouldn't want to meet them either, or even get... closer to them." 

"Why?" Auba asked, sounding even more interested now. 

"I'm not really into girls..." Marco said, not realizing what he had just said. 

"What?" Auba asked, and then Marco made a decision he was sure he was going to regret. 

"I'm gay," he said, and looked at Auba whose eyes grew large. Marco was scared for a moment, as he looked at Auba's confused and shocked face. Would Auba be mad at him? He was about to open his mouth and explain, but didn't have time to do anything, before he saw Auba dropping the controller, and getting closer to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... The next chapter will be a big one I guess ;)


	8. Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments you've left here, it makes me very happy to read them, thank you to every single one of you! :-)  
> Here's a new chapter, I guess it's something that quite many of you hoped would happen ;) I hope that you'll like it and sorry about the mistakes, English isn't my first language and I'm insecure about quite a few parts.

Auba hesitantly dropped the controller, not caring about anything else than what Marco had just said. 

Marco liked guys, Auba could kiss him. At this point, Auba didn't anymore care that Marco could possibly reject him and laugh at him for kissing him. What mattered was that Auba could try it, because he was sure that he would go crazy if he didn't even make the best out of this chance. He'd kiss Marco, now. He would try to show him how much he liked it, he had never desired anyone like he desired Marco and now was his chance. 

He didn't care if this changed everything he had, because right now, Marco was everything he cared about if not more. Marco was worth the risk, the risk of not knowing would he respond to the kiss, the risk of losing everything Auba had. Auba would do it, he would choose to kiss this wonderful and amazing boy in front of him, even though it might destroy everything. Because, there was a chance that it could change his life, it could make it so much better, it could change the person who he was, it could make Marco happy. 

Auba looked deep into Marco's eyes, who looked absolutely terrified and confused, not sure what was going to happen. Auba hoped that it wasn't because he was sensing that Auba would kiss him, before Marco asked:

"You're not mad, are you?" 

"No, not at all," Auba said, although the tension in the air didn't go anywhere. He moved closer to Marco, who was still sitting with the controller in his hands. With careful movements Auba moved closer, so that their knees and thighs were touching, and took the controller away from Marco's hands. 

Auba himself was insecure about this, but for once in his life he wanted to be brave for a right purpose. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaning forward, praying that Marco's lips would meet his. 

 

\---

 

Marco couldn't do anything before he instinctively closed his eyes, and leaned forward, to meet Auba's lips. 

The feeling of Auba's lips on his was surreal, and Marco really wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. Auba pressed his lips against his, as he leaned forward and cupped Marco's cheek with his hand, silently sighing against his mouth. 

Was this heaven on earth?

Marco had never thought that Auba would kiss him. Or well, he had, in his wildest dreams, but he had never thought that it could actually happen. He had always thought that Auba was as straight as an arrow. Not to mention that Marco had been sure that he never could be interested in him in a romantic way. Marco had waken up to a dream about Auba kissing him more than once, and now it was actually happening. 

Gosh, it was wonderful. 

Auba kissed him gently, not going further than pressing his lips against his, and it was simply perfect. No other thing had ever felt this good, it was the best first kiss Marco could imagine having. Auba's hand cupped his cheek and he brushed his thumb over it gently, making him feel utterly loved. Marco's hand worked on his own and even though the position was a bit awkward, he managed to put one of his hands on Auba's heart, and one of his hands behind his neck.

Marco sighed wistfully and then Auba pulled away, looking deep into his eyes. This time, Auba's gaze wasn't reserved or anything like that, he was smiling brightly, and openly showing who he was. Marco looked into his eyes too, showing him his surprisal but also his happiness, knowing that this must have not been easy for Auba, either. 

"Wow," was all Marco could utter out. Auba's hand had never left his body, and Marco's hands had never left their place, either. Only their lips had separated, and the loss of constant had been replaced by a deep gaze. 

"Yeah, wow indeed," Auba said, as he chuckled quietly. His gaze was full of love and adoring, something Marco had never thought that he could see in anyone's eyes looking at him. 

"I never thought that you would be-" Marco began but Auba stopped him. 

"I never thought that you would be interested in guys." 

"What? You never noticed?" Marco asked. He had been sure that he was the most obvious case in the whole school, he had been sure that Auba had noticed him having the most hopeless crush on him like many other people in the school.

"No, I really didn't," Auba said, sounding surprised. 

"I had the most hopeless crush on you for over a year and you didn't even notice!" Marco said, quietly, and shook his head. "Well, now you know, I guess."

"You, you had a crush on me?" 

"Yes! I thought that you had known all along, or at least noticed it. I was afraid that the entire school knew, but apparently they don't."

"I never thought of that," Auba said, thoughtfully. 

"But I'm even more surprised that you're... You know..." 

"Interested in guys?" Auba asked, sounding really insecure to Marco's ears and Marco instantly knew that this wasn't easy for him. 

"Yeah." 

"Well, you're the only one who knows. I suppose that it's only logical that the thought didn't even cross your mind, considering all the girls around me, and my reputation... But I can tell you that I am interested in you." Auba sighed, looking into Marco eyes again, gently brushing his thumb over his cheek. "Very interested." 

Marco almost felt like as if he was hyperventilating. Could this really be happening? Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was holding him close, telling him this he was interested in him. "I kind of feel like this is a dream, how can this even be true?" Marco questioned it out loud. "You, out of all people!" 

"I know that it's strange, yes, but it's true. I like you Marco, I really do, and I couldn't be happier that you accepted my kiss," Auba said, pulling Marco closer, and giving his lips a quick peck. 

"I like you too, a lot. At least by now you know it," Marco said, giggling like a teenager, still not quite being able to grasp that this was happening.

"So... Are you saying that we could be boyfriends?" 

"Yes!" Marco squeaked, hugging Auba with all he had, snuggling against him until they were both lying on the floor. 

"And Auba?" Marco asked and Auba hummed in response. "I will definitely accept your kisses. Every single one," Marco said, as he couldn't help the happy smile spreading on his face. He leaned closer to Auba, to steal one more kiss from the boy, who was apparently now his boyfriend. 

 

\---

 

Later that evening Auba was lying on Marco's bed, Marco leaning his head against this chest. 

After their first kiss and talk, they had both agreed that neither of them wanted to play anymore so instead, they had talked some more, and just sat on Marco's bed, holding hands and stealing a few quick kisses. Somehow, they had just fallen on their backs, but not going further, both being satisfied and content with just kissing occasionally and holding each other close. 

This was more than enough for Auba, who couldn't be happier with Marco in his arms. They could take their relationship slowly, since it was very new for both of them. Auba had to admit that he couldn't wait for things to get more serious between them, though. 

But he was aware that he was very lucky for ever having a person like Marco. Such a beautiful soul, caring and thoughtful. Marco was incredible and Auba would do his everything to court Marco and make sure that he wouldn't want to leave him. He would treat Marco like a prince, and take care of him just like he should be taken care of, with all the love and with all the respect. 

Auba knew that it would be hard, and that he'd have to solve somethings, like what to do with his friends. He'd love to spend more time with Marco, but Auba knew that Marco wouldn't want to hide, and that they couldn't really hide. Someone was bound to find out some day and Auba would like to tell about it himself rather that letting someone find out and start a mayhem. He however wasn't ready for it yet, nor did he know how he could ever do it.


	9. Talks and thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thank you so much for the feedback on the latest chapter, I was completely overwhelmed and you guys made me smile so much, thank you!   
> I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter too! :-)

Marco was nearly singing in his room, still overhyped about what had happened earlier in the day. 

He had just called Erik to come and visit him, he was simply so happy about what had happened with Auba, and he needed to share it with someone. Of course he could have called some of his other friends but Erik was his best friend, and he trusted him the most. Erik would listen to him, and Marco had promised to listen to him if he ever had something to talk about. 

Marco whistled happily as he ran down stairs when he head the doorbell ringing, fast enough before any of his sisters made it before him. "Hey Erik!" He said as he enthusiastically opened him the door. 

"Hi!" Erik said before he greeted Marco's parents briefly, and Marco and he disappeared upstairs to Marco's room. 

"So... I guess there was a reason why you sounded so happy on the phone?" Erik said and laughed. Marco was aware that he probably still looked like an overexcited puppy.   
"Yes, you're never going to guess what happened!" 

"What?!" 

"We kissed!" 

"Really? Oh my God that's... That's..." 

"Incredible, I know," Marco said and sighed, wondering if he'd ever stop smiling after this day. 

"Want to tell me more about it?" Erik asked, smiling himself. 

"Why do you think I invited you?" Marco chuckled. "He came here and as we had played FIFA and talked, I managed to confess him that I'm gay. I was worried for a moment that he might take it badly, but he didn't. Instead, he kissed me and confessed that he likes me!" 

"I have to tell you, even though I was already surprised that Auba wanted to make up with you, I never could have seen this happening! I'm sure that no one has any idea about who Auba really is!" Erik said, sounding surprised but nevertheless happy for Marco. 

"I know... It's all kind of very insane now..."

"You're not the only one thinking that way... Is he really that nice?" 

"He is, believe me. He has this big facade going on every time he is with his friends, I don't really understand why he does it. But once you get to know him, he's totally different. He's kind and down to earth, as weird as it might sound. You should meet him, though I'm afraid it might not happen anytime soon..." Marco regretted, wishing that he could share a person as great as Auba with Erik. 

"Why not?" Erik asked, confused.

"Because he's so afraid that his friends would react badly, pretty much to anything. It's strange. He is so afraid that they will reject him and that they wouldn't understand him and yet, he said that he would be willing to do almost anything for me. I didn't tell him that he should tell his friends about who he really is and that he doesn't want to mock people and be rude to anyone, I only told him that he can't hide forever, and I'm pretty sure that he knows that I don't want to hide forever, either." 

"Well, based on what you told me, the situation is tricky, to say at least. If Auba really is such a good person like you're describing, I can't see why he couldn't tell his friends off, but after all I have never been in his situation so I can't know. It won't be right for you to have to hide for him, and it won't be right for Auba to go on with the stupidities his friends are doing when in reality he doesn't want to do them," Erik said wisely, as he frowned. "Maybe you could try to greet him at school, when you see him? If he doesn't greet you back, then you'll see just how bad his situation is." 

"You're right. I should do something, just to know where the limit goes... I know that he is quite scared but if I did something and the result wouldn't be bad, maybe he could see that there's nothing to be afraid of?" Marco said before he frowned. "Although I don't think I can do that. If Auba's friends see me and take me as they target again, I have no one to protect me. I doubt that they will be as good-willing as Auba is, deep inside. 

"You're right, it could end up badly. I mean, I could be there, but I wouldn't be much help..."

"No, you would only risk yourself by doing that. It won't be worth it."

"Although, if Auba's friends really take you as your target, I think Auba will protect you, if he really likes you, if he sees the situation," Erik said, and Marco nodded. Yes. If Auba really liked him, he would choose him. Wouldn't he?"

 

\---

 

Auba walked down the school hallway, feeling almost as if he were flying instead of walking. 

Ever since his first kiss with Marco he had felt like a new person. Previously, before he had even met Marco, he had felt like his life was just what it was, empty, as if something was missing. Now, he felt totally different. He had Marco, who liked him for who he was and around whom he could be himself. With him, Auba could do the things he really liked to do, go for walks, just snuggling around a blanket while watching the rain fall down, instead of partying. 

It's not that he didn't like partying, he just liked other things too, and right now he felt like he had had enough of partying for a while. Enough of talking about stupid things, enough of pretending to be someone he wasn't, just in order to have fame and be valued around people. 

Auba had made a mental note to try to change that, one day. But today was not the day. He was too deep in his first love to even consider worrying about his friends. He hoped that Marco would think so too, that he'd give him time to cope with this and start becoming a better person in his own pace. 

Auba kept waking forward towards his math class, when he felt a hand on his back. Mats had put his hand on his shoulder, greeting him with a nod as they kept walking to the class they would have together. Auba bit his lips as he thought about his future without his own willingness. Mats would probably be the one he would tell the first, if he ever told someone about him and Marco, but his first goal would probably be to try to get his friends thinking in a different, not so condescending way. Auba sighed as he rubbed his eyes, God he wished he could stop thinking about this now. 

He saw Marco smiling at him, leaning against his own locker on the hallway. Auba couldn't help but smile at him too, as he started to walk towards him, not really knowing what his goal was. Maybe he wanted to say hi to him, maybe he would just smile at him

But Auba couldn't stop, he just couldn't. 

He kept walking with Mats' hand on his shoulder, not being able to stop his feet no matter how much his mind screamed that he should stop. He looked at a Marco apologetically, wanting to say sorry to him and wanting to stay there with him, but Mats was pulling him to the other direction, and soon Auba had already passed Marco, who still was leaning against his locker, looking quite emotionless. 

Marco turned to look at Marco once more, who was looking back at him, looking very disappointed and sad. Auba mouthed him a silent 'sorry', before he had to turn his gaze away again, having to use an inhuman amount of strength to do so. Mats was babbling something about failing yet another test, but Auba couldn't concentrate on anything. 

He didn't know if he was the only one trying to bite down the lump in his throat and the tears in his eyes.


	10. Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh God I didn't realize that I hadn't updated in such a long time, :/ well, here is a new chapter, I hope that you're still following this story! :-)   
> This chapter is a little bit short but the next one should be a longer one ;)   
> Thank you for all the comments and the kudos so far!

Marco sighed sadly as he walked home, he was done with school for today. 

And to be honest, he was done with everything for today. Even though the thought that Auba might ignore him had crept in his mind, facing the raw reality had hurt. Yes, he understood some of Auba's reasons why he did what he had done, but still a part of Marco's mind had hoped that he would be enough for Auba to not ignore him like that. Watching Auba just walk away, looking at him and acknowledging Marco's presence but still walking a way, without even a simple 'hi' had been painful, to say at least. 

Just when they had had it well. Just when they had gotten together, just when they had agreed on being boyfriends. Marco knew that this wasn't the end of their relationship, oh no, just a small bump, a bump that had come very early, unfortunately. Auba would most likely explain himself, Marco reasoned. It would be all right. 

Now Marco knew that Auba wasn't willing to go very far though, at least yet. If he wasn't able to say hello to Marco while he was around his friends, or one friend in this case, Auba surely was a hell of a long way from ever telling them that they were together. Not that Marco minded him not telling them that, he just wished that they could at least be seen as friends, that he could talk to Auba in the hallways, that he could say hi to him and sit next to him during lessons. 

That wasn't yet though, Marco stopped himself from dreaming, and opened the door to his home. Luckily for him, nobody was home and he could just fall straight on the living room couch, not bothering to climb up to his room, even though he had homework to do. He didn't want to think of anything right now, he didn't even want to call Erik, he just wanted to gather his thoughts and have a moment to be the Marco he used to be before he had met Auba. 

The Marco who had been careless, yet happy. The Marco who had had the most desperate crush on the most handsome boy of the school, the Marco who had focused on his school work and the few friends he had had. Marco was still that same person, but he had to admit that Auba had changed him. As happy as he was now, he was also stressed about the situation. 

Marco realized that Auba must be even more stressed. Marco wasn't the one in the threat of losing his friends, he wasn't the one hiding his true self, nor was he the one to be under someone's gaze, almost twenty-four hours a day. So, as much as Marco felt bad for himself having to be in this situation, he understood Auba and felt sorry for him, too. He only wished that they could find a solution, one day. 

Marco sighed and was about to get up, before his phone rang. 

 

\---

 

Auba dialed Marco's number, impatiently nearly running along the street, not being able to wait until he had been home to calm Marco. 

Marco's sad and broken face after he had ignored him had just burned into his mind, it was all Auba had seen for the rest of the time he had had to spend at school. He needed to speak to Marco, right now, to at least try to explain himself. 

Because God Auba didn't know what he would do if Marco left him now. Just when he had found at least temporary happiness and a way to be himself. No. He didn't want Marco to leave him, and he hated himself for being a coward that way. He would need to find the braveness to face the thing that was inevitable, one day, but right now, his priority was to talk to Marco, and try to win him back again. Luckily, he just had the idea that might make some of Marco's disappointed in him to go away. 

Auba could be a real gentleman, too, if he wanted to. He had learned by now that Marco had bit of a soft spot for everything romantic and well, Auba could organize him a really nice date and make his heart flip in happiness, hopefully. Auba was also craving to spend some more quiet time with Marco, and Auba knew that it was only a matter of organizing and getting it done. And of course, Marco would have to say yes to his plans and that's why Auba was praying that he would pick up his phone. 

"Hello?" Auba suddenly heard Marco's shy voice at the other end of the line. 

"Hi! Marco, thank God that you answered!" Auba said, letting out a relieved sigh. 

"Of course I answered," Marco replied calmly, and even chuckled. "Why wouldn't I have?" 

Auba's eyes grew large. "Because I treated you badly?" 

"Well, I had to admit that I didn't like what you did, but for you, it must have felt inevitable. I know that you must feel bad about it," Marco said, and made Auba speechless. 

What had he done to deserve Marco, who was not only wonderful but also forgiving?

"You really mean that?" 

"Of course I do. Surely I'm a little disappointed, but well, it happened and there's nothing either of us could do to change that now," Marco said, not being able to hide all his sadness. 

"I will make sure that one day this doesn't have to happen, I swear. I want to make this up to you." 

"Don't worry about it, Auba, it's good, really." Marco sighed. 

"What if I had already thought about something?" Auba asked, challenging Marco a little bit. 

"What?" Marco asked, his voice hopefully and happier. 

"A date, one might say. It's been far too long since I've kissed you," Auba said, not being able to hide his grin. He was already dreaming about the moment when he'd be able to kiss Marco again. 

"Really?" 

"Yes, we could see each other tomorrow, if you don't mind." 

"If I mind?! Of course I don't mind, are you crazy?" Marco said, and Auba could hear him smiling.

"Well then, how about at my place, tomorrow afternoon?" 

"Sounds perfect to me," Marco said. "Thank you." 

"I'm not the one who should be thanked. Think of this as a sort of an apology, and a promise of what's coming." 

"I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Me neither." Auba smiled, happy that he had managed to get the situation back under control. 

He had managed to do it now, but he didn't know how many more times he would be able to do it. He knew that he had to, though. 

Hearing and imagining Marco smiling on the phone had instantly made Auba happy, too, and it had made Auba know one thing. He couldn't be happy unless Marco wasn't happy, and that he didn't even want to be happy without Marco also being happy. He wouldn't be happy if he continued this way, disappointing the people who were important to him. Something had to change rather soon.


	11. Coming over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so so much for all the feedback, the comments and kudos you've given me, it means so much to hear what you think about this story! :)   
> I hope that you'll like this chapter, too, it was fun to write, at least :)

"I'm having a friend coming over," Auba said to his mother shyly.

"Who is it?" His mother asked, already looking frustrated and worried. 

Auba gulped, he didn't dare to look his mother in the eyes. He knew why his mother was so upset already, even though he had only said that he would have a friend coming over. Every previous time Auba had had a friend over, it had ended badly. Every time he had hosted a party secretly, or some other bad things had happened. Auba's friends weren't the friendliest towards his parents, either. Those were a few reasons, why Auba already felt bad about this. He had betrayed his parents so many times, he had made stupid things, so stupid things, and he could understand why his mother was so reserved every time he said he'd have friends over. 

"It's Marco," Auba said, seeing how his mother's eyes got a new look as she heard the unfamiliar name. 

"Marco? I've never heard of him before." 

"Yeah, Marco. He's a new friend." 

"Aha," was all his mother said.

"I know what you're thinking, mom. Marco isn't like them." 

"How can you be so sure?" 

"Because I know. He isn't 'wild' or anything like that. We're going to stay inside here, I was planning to cook for him," Auba said, biting his lip.

"Cook? Really?" Auba's mother asked but she had a smile on her face. 

"Uh, yeah." 

"You can't cook, sweetie," his mother said, but with a small smile on here face. She was apparently impressed by Auba's intentions. 

"I know, but I figured that it couldn't be that hard..." Auba said. 

"Listen, if you promise to behave and that everything will go well with this Marco, I'll help you with the cooking," his mother said. 

"I promise, thank you mom!" Auba said and dared to hug his mother, feeling a lot more relived, hoping that now he could also start to repair his relationship with his parents, as well as build his and Marco's relationship. 

 

\---

 

A few hours later, Auba was ready with his preparations, he had dressed up nicely, and on the stove there was pasta bolognese, that he had made by himself, with a little help from his mother. After helping Auba and having a good chat with him, Auba's mother and his father had decided to leave Auba alone with Marco, going to the movies themselves.

Auba had also managed to push his brothers out of. They had questioned Auba and started to tease him after he had had no other choice than to let them know that he was going to have a date. The wolf whistles and punches on his sides had hurt Auba, he wished that he could at least be honest to his brothers but he wasn't yet even capable of doing that. He hated himself for that, he knew that he couldn't continue lying at home, either. His parents and his brothers should know who he really was. 

Auba stood in front of the hall mirror when he heard the doorbell ring. He had texted Marco the instructions how to get to his house, and now he had apparently arrived, just at the time that he should be arriving. 

Auba's heart was already pounding in his chest when he opened the door, and looked at Marco, whose hair was slightly damp because of the sudden drops of rain that had started to fall down from the sky. "Hey!" He said, grinning at Auba, making his already pacing heart nearly jump out of his chest. 

"Hi! Come in!" Auba said as he held the door open for Marco. He then helped Marco out of his jacket and smiled happily as he could see a faint blush creeping up on Marco's cheeks. 

"Did the trip here go well?" Auba asked, as Marco had stepped out of his shoes, starting to follow Auba out of the hall. 

"Yes, nearly got on the wrong buss but realized it before it was too late," Marco said, and stopped to look around. 

"That's good," Auba said as he smiled at Marco. "Let me show you around a bit." 

Auba looked at Marco and hesitated for a while, not sure what exactly to do next. He wanted to take Marco's hand, and well, and in his opinion he could do that since they were boyfriends, he just wasn't sure if Marco thought that it was a 'boyfriend thing' to do. Auba bit his lips but as he looked at Marco's expectant gaze, he decided to push away the thoughts of the consequences of his actions, at least this one time. 

He took Marco's hand and smiled as he felt Marco return his touch, entangling his fingers with Auba's as they started walking, and Auba showed Marco the little house he had been staying in ever since he had moved to Dortmund. He hardly could call it a home, because truth to be told, he couldn't feel home as long as he was pretending and moreover not being true to himself.   
"And here's the kitchen," Auba said, ending the short tour to the kitchen, where he had also set up the table for the two of them. 

"You cooked?" Marco asked, turning to look at Auba with his eyebrow raised but a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I thought that it would be a nice surprise, I hope that you haven't eaten yet?" 

"Nope, I haven't, so this is perfect, and it smells delicious!" 

"It's pasta, my mom helped me to cook it, but I'm afraid that it might not be as good as it seems right now," Auba chuckled, as he pulled a chair for Marco and then sat vice versa to him, before putting some of the pasta on Marco's plate. 

"Bonne appétit! Auba said and then they started to eat, the only sound in the room being the cutleries clacking against each other. 

"You're too modest, this is really great!" Marco said and Auba let out another relived sigh. 

"Really?" He asked. He had wanted to please Marco so much. 

"Yes, really. But I'm even happier that you actually bothered to do this for me," Marco replied. 

"It was no bother at all, I'm just glad that you're happy." Auba smiled, looking at Marco who blew a kiss at Auba's direction, making Auba blush. So far everything had gone perfectly, and the kiss Marco had blown towards him clearly told a little bit of their upcoming plans. 

They ate almost in silence, in between exchanging a few words of their life and their school, slowly starting to learn more and more about each other. Auba absolutely loved to hear Marco speak and learn more about him. He had never been able to concentrate on something as well as he was now able to concentrate on Marco, paying attention to the smallest tones in his voice. They hadn't been together for more than a few days, and already Auba felt like Marco knew him better than anyone. 

After they had eaten, they had stayed in the table for a while more, as Auba's hand had crept on Marco's hand, and neither of them had wanted to move before Auba had suggested that they should watch a movie, perhaps. Marco had agreed happily, both of them moving from the kitchen to the small living room. Marco sat on the couch while Auba set up the TV, and searched for something they could watch on Netflix. 

Marco told him that he didn't like horror movies, and he only liked action to a certain point so they decided to watch a criminal comedy, something both of them might enjoy, even though Auba was fairly certain that both of them knew that they might get a little distracted as they would be watching. 

Which was exactly what happened right after Auba resumed the movie. 

Marco leaned against his chest, and Auba couldn't help but wrap his arms around him. Marco had also wrapped his arms around him, and the position was a bit awkward, but neither of them seemed to care. Marco's neck was exposed right underneath Auba's lips, and probably not even a full minute into the movie, Auba had pressed his lips on Marco's neck, starting to kiss him there, his hands starting to make their way up and down Marco's body. 

Marco was so edgy and hard under his touch, nothing like Auba had ever experienced before. Of course he had hugged men and been close to them, but he hadn't thought about those moments like this. Marco's muscles felt lovely under his touch, occasionally twitching as Auba hit a sensitive spot. 

Auba's lips were sucking on Marco's neck, leaving the skin a little red, but Marco let out soft sighs of delight, so Auba dared to continue, kissing his way to Marco's mouth. Marco turned his head and immediately pressed his lips on Auba's mouth, both of them letting out a silent moan, it had been too long a time since their last kiss. 

Marco's tongue was roaming around Auba's mouth with tenderness, sending jolts of electrify coursing through Auba's entire body. The blond's hands were on Auba legs, softly massaging the muscles with his fingertips. Auba couldn't help but raise one of Marco's legs and turn him so that he was half sitting on his lap, so that he could feel more of him.

Auba started to move his hands up and down Marco's thigh on his lap, as he kept kissing him, being amazed by all the new feelings going through his body, sending him into a wild desire in a split second.

He was hard before he even knew it, and judging by the needy sounds coming out of Marco's mouth, so was his boyfriend. Auba could feel Marco's hardening manhood pressing against his thigh, and Marco was starting to pull away a little shyly, stopping the kissing for a moment. 

Both of them realized that now was the time when they should move on, if they should move on. Marco bit his lower lip and looked into Auba's eyes, showing a clear sign of nervousness and vulnerability. He wasn't ready, Auba realized it. 

"What if we continue another time?" He asked, himself not being quite ready to going any further than this. 

"If you're okay with it? I'm sorry, I'm just so nervous, I... I wouldn't even know what to do and-" 

"Marco, it's okay," Auba said, soothing Marco by quickly pecking his lips. "We'll continue next time."

Marco sighed and now smiled again. "Until next time." Auba smiled too and then turned around again, to focus on the movie, ignoring the raging passion surging through his body. Marco's warm body against is would be enough as long as Marco wanted to stay with him. They had so much more time to go further ahead of them, if they only got through all the troubles on their way.


	12. Time to step up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the feedback you've given me throughout writing this story, it means so much!   
> This chapter is longer, sorry that it took so long :( but it's here now, and I hope I can update sooner next time :)   
> I hope that you'll like this chapter, it's proof read only once so there're bound to be mistakes.

Once again Marco was lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling. 

He had just gotten back from his date with Auba, after Auba had gentleman likely walked him to the bus stop and then hugged Marco good bye before Marco had gotten into the bus.

Marco hadn't thought that having a perfect date like that could ever be a possibility to him, and Auba had totally surprised him with everything. He had actually put a lot of effort on the date they had, and really impressed Marco with it. It had been emotional for him, just a few weeks ago he had been sure that nobody would ever be interested in him during the time he would still have to spend in high school, and now he had been invited to a date by the most handsome guy he could imagine. 

Auba had cooked for him, he had held him close and kissed him oh so passionately, it had been absolutely perfect. Auba had treated him so well, made Marco feel like he was worth the world and Marco could never thank Auba enough for it. Marco had kissed him throughly, for the first time in his life really being involved in a deep tongue kiss. 

Auba had apparently gotten to clue that Marco didn't mind kissing, and soon, Marco had felt Auba's hands on his body, his big hands that felt amazing when they caressed his skin, his lips tickling his neck, his groin almost against his own... Marco had gotten hard right then and there, and suddenly, he had panicked. 

Not necessarily panicked, but he had been really caught off guard by how fast things were going and he had tensed, involuntarily. Auba had luckily noticed his discomfort, though, and assured him that they didn't have to go any further. 

Now Marco was really hoping that Auba wouldn't have gotten the idea that Marco didn't want to go further, because hell yes he wanted to, he just wasn't completely sure how to proceed. Yes, he knew how to kiss and how Auba might like him to touch him, but, he was just so afraid that he would make it awkward and he feared that Auba might see that Marco wasn't the ideal boyfriend, which he of course wasn't but at least wanted to be. Marco liked Auba so much, he didn't want to lose him now when they had just gotten together. 

Marco sighed as he saw his phone's screen light up, Erik was calling him. 

"Hey," Marco answered, sounding a little troubled even to his own ears. 

"Hi!" Erik answered cheerfully. "Your date didn't go badly, did it?" He asked immediately probably because of the tone of Marco's voice. 

"No, it didn't go badly, almost too well." 

"What do you mean too well? What happened?" Erik asked, sounding curious and concerned. 

"Well, I went to his place, he had cooked so we ate and then watched a movie, and..." Marco paused, feeling awkward. 

"...and?" 

"We kissed and then we uh... Well the point is that the coward I am stopped doing what we were doing because I felt like I wasn't ready..." 

"He didn't force you into anything, did he?" Erik asked, suddenly sounding almost angry and really concerned. 

"No! Of course not. He would do no such thing." Marco sighed. "It was because of me, I wasn't ready." 

"There nothing to be ashamed of in not being ready, Marco. It was good that you stopped since you weren't ready. Hopefully he'll understand," Erik said, sounding a little cold when he spoke about Auba now.

"He will, I'm sure of that, don't worry. I am sorry, I'm not probably making any sense. Surely everything will be fine in the end, though."

"Look, Marco, you are making sense to me, yes, but since I don't know Auba and I wasn't actually there so it's a little hard to tell... I'm just worried about you," Erik reasoned and Marco nodded to himself. 

"You're right... I wish that you'd know him better, I'm sure that your opinion of him would change if you met him." Marco sighed, rubbing his eyes before he blinked abruptly. "Wait, what if you could meet him?!" 

"What?!" 

"What if you met Auba? It could be another way to show him that he wouldn't have to be so afraid of new people finding out about our relationship! Of course you aren't quite the same as his friends, but, if his friend are really treating him that badly maybe it would be better if he found new friends, you know..." 

"But taking Auba to our group of friends... It would be like putting a dog in a group of cats. He's so different," Erik said, and Marco could sense that Erik was still struggling with the fact that Auba was 'famous'. That's why Marco thought that Erik should meet Auba, even more so. 

"I'm not talking about taking him in our group. It would just be nice to show him what it can be like, and how they could be with his friends, too." 

"You're right... Maybe I could meet him, but you have to be there, too!" Erik said, and Marco nearly screamed in delight. 

"Thank you so much Erik! I'm so happy about this, and yes, of course I'll be there. Maybe tomorrow, before school?" 

"Sounds good. But I have to go now, I'll talk to you more tomorrow. Bye Marco, take care," Erik said. 

"Bye, and thanks again!" Erik only hummed in response, and then hung up. 

Marco sighed contently as he threw his phone away and lay on his bed. 

His life has become so exciting with Auba, now he was looking forward to every single day. Every single day would bring something new, as well as tomorrow. It would bring something new to Auba, too, and Marco could only hope that Auba would take meeting Erik well. 

If only Erik saw that Auba really was a good person, and if Auba only saw that he shouldn't be afraid of Erik's reaction, and what it could be like with his friends too, possibly, if he got enough courage to tell them the truth. 

 

\---

 

Marco had been anxious and not quite himself the entire time he had been walking Auba to the direction of the school. They had talked about going to school together, parting right before they'd reach it, in order to be able to spend some time together every day, since it wasn't quite possible yet for them to spend time together in school. 

Auba hoped that Marco's sudden change of behavior didn't mean anything bad, they had been texting just the previous evening and then nothing had seemed to be wrong with Marco but now he seemed really nervous.

"Babe, is something wrong?" Auba couldn't help but ask, wishing that he would have been able to take Marco's hand on his own, but he was too afraid to do it this close to school. 

"Uh, I kind of didn't tell you something."

"What is it?" Auba asked, a little alert but at the same time calm, he knew that Marco wouldn't have any bad intentions. 

"Erik is waiting behind that corner." 

"And?" 

"I kind of thought that you could meet."

"Oh," was all Auba could say as he suddenly felt his throat run dry. Marco was expecting him to meet Erik. 

"I knew that you would be surprised, and that's why I was nervous to tell you. It's just that Erik is so close to me, he's my best friend and I hate keeping things from him. The only Auba he knows is the Auba everybody knows, the famous one, and since you're now a really big part of my life and I talk about you a lot, I just want him to meet you and get to know that you are a good guy," Marco said, looking at Auba. "Could you please just say hi to him?" 

Auba blinked a couple of times. "Of course Marco. You could have told me about this, it's important to me to meet your friends, of course, especially Erik. I'm looking forward to it, you've talked so much good about him," he said, honestly, even though he was secretly quite nervous. He knew that Marco's friends might not have such a good image of him, and he hoped that they'd like him. 

"Thank you!" Marco said, almost hugging him Auba, but then he remembered that they were in public and stopped his movements. Marco kept smiling though, and his smile caught Auba, too. Even if Auba was nervous, if he meeting Marco's friends would make Marco happy, he'd be glad to do it. 

They kept walking, and soon as they reached the corner, behind which Erik was waiting for them. Auba gulped as he saw Erik and they kept walking towards him. Erik was shy like Marco, but still, he was tall and Auba knew that he would go quite far for Marco. 

"Hey," He said as he greeted both of them shyly, looking at Marco a second longer than Auba. 

"Hi, Erik," Auba said politely, hoping that Erik would understand that he necessarily wasn't the tough guy everyone though he was. 

"Good to see you, finally, Marco has told me so much about you," Erik said, extending his hand towards Auba a little carefully. 

Auba took his hand and shook it, hoping that his internal battle with his nervousness wasn't showing. "Like wise." 

All the while Marco had stood on their side, staying silent, but as they had shook hands and smiled at each other, he smiled. "Thanks for agreeing on meeting each other, both of you. Maybe we can spend some more time together, in the future, when we have more time? I appreciate both of you doing this, this was important to me." 

"I'm very fine with it. Erik is a cool guy," Auba said, hoping to break the ice. "I've heard nothing but good of you." 

"Well, I can't say quite the same but yes, I do believe that you're a good guy. We can meet, let's just fix a time for some day." Erik smiled, before he glanced at his watch. "I better go, I promised Mr. Meyer that I would be a little earlier in math class today." 

"Sure, I'll meet you there, later," Marco said, and after his words, Erik was off. 

Auba turned to look at Marco, who was smiling at him. "See? That went so well! Erik is reacting so well to us being together. Maybe it could be the same with your friends, too?" Marco asked, his voice hopefully, but Auba only smiled a little sadly. 

"The thing is, that my friends are so different. Erik is a great guy, he's very kind and sweet, but my friends aren't like that. They're wannabe savages, they don't care about other people's feelings as much as Erik does. They're so very different. I appreciate you trying to show me what it could be like, but I'm afraid that my friends and I are light years away from the friendship you two share." Auba tried to explain Marco how he felt, hoping that Marco wouldn't get insulted by what he had just said. 

Marco looked at Auba with an understanding look before he apparently heard some noise and turned his head. "Yeah, I get what you mean," he said, pointing at the direction of the school, looking quite scared as his eyes grew big and he instinctively moved closer to Auba. 

Auba looked where he pointed, and felt his blood run cold as he saw what Marco had already seen. 

One of Marco's friends that Auba recognized, Matze, was cornered by Auba's friends. Matze looked terrified as he stood there like a deer in the headlights. Auba's friends were around him, definitely planning something bad, and Matze probably sensed it, too.

"Auba, please! You have to do something!" Marco squeaked. Auba looked down at Marco who was looking into Auba's eyes with his own pleading ones. 

Auba gulped before he took a deep breath, and started taking long steps towards the situation. He didn't yet know what he was going to do, but sure as hell he had to do something.


	13. A brave thing to do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!   
> I'm still sad about yesterday's defeat :(, so I wrote a little.   
> I hope that you'll like this chapter and that it would bring a smile on your faces, thank you so much for all the feedback I've gotten so far, you're amazing!   
> Sorry for the mistakes, I read it through only once.

Auba was taking long steps towards the direction where he saw the horrible scene. Mats and Ilkay along with the rest of Auba's friends were cornering Matze, who looked scared and vulnerable. The group of boys was staring at Matze meanly, and Mats was almost raising the terrified boy up by his shirt. Auba was sure that he could see that Matze was almost crying, looking terrified and almost closing his eyes, probably just expecting to feel Mats' fist against his cheek. 

Matze's horrified gaze was the thing that kept Auba moving, even though he was aware that Marco had left behind. Auba knew that this couldn't happen, he knew that Mats wouldn't physically hurt Matze, he was just trying to be tough, but even this was too much. Auba couldn't let Mats do this, he couldn't let Mats just scare Matze, Matze hadn't done anything wrong, he hadn't done anything to Mats or anyone else. 

His pace kept increasing until he finally reached the bunch of guys, and then he stopped in his tracks. What was he really supposed to do? Tell them to stop? What would they think about him? Where they expecting Auba to start harassing Matze with them? 

Auba tried to push his doubts to the back of his mind, even when he noticed that some of his friends and some bystanders had already noticed him. "What are you doing?!" He gasped, putting his hand on Mats' shoulder and pulling him back, forcing him to let go of Matze, who still looked like a deer in the headlights. 

"Auba! Bro! Good that you came, too! We were just asking Matze here if he liked to share some of his chemistry homework with us!" Mats said, almost triumphantly, making a sudden wave of nausea hit Auba. 

"Asking? Are you sure you were asking him, and not threatening him?" Auba asked, not impressed by Mats' nor any of his other fiends' smug faces. 

"Dude, what are you saying..? Asked Ilkay, looking confused by the situation. He had taken a few steps back too, so Matze now had more space to breathe. 

"They weren't being really nice, were they?" Auba asked, not caring about what Ilkay was saying, instead, he looked at Matze's, whose face was equally confused as Mats and Ilkay's were, though scared as well.

Matze opened his mouth, but apparently decided against saying something, so he only shook his head, and Auba nodded. "I see, please go, you don't have to give us your homework," Auba said, motioning at Matze that he could go away. Matze simply stood for a while, staring at Auba, before he hesitantly grabbed his backpack from the ground and started to walk towards Marco, quickly. 

Auba sighed and faced his friends again, knowing that what he had done was right, the only good thing he could have done in this situation, but, still, he was nervous about what his friends would say. He raised his gaze, and saw his entire group of friends looking at him with big eyes, their mouths hanging open. 

"What?" He spat out, annoyed by the situation. He almost felt like running away.

"Why'd you do that?!" Roman asked, looking almost mad, but not quite. Auba knew that if he hadn't been the 'leader' of their group, he would have probably already been torn into pieces for ruining their attempt to corner Matze. 

"Because it was wrong! Come on, he did nothing to you!" Auba said, trying not to shout. 

"What was wrong? We were just trying to get his notes! We've done this before!" Mats said, getting closer to Auba. 

"Uh... Auba said, not sure how to continue. He didn't know how to continue, he didn't know what to say or what to do right now. He would be lecturing for an hour if he started to say all the things what were wrong in what Mats and Ilkay and the rest of his friends had just done. 

"He was so scared and..." Auba began, not finding enough words. "Nothing, just forget it," he said, taking his own backpack from the ground and starting to walk towards the school, not looking back. This had to be enough for today, he could clear the situation later, once he'd have a more stable mind. 

He didn't yet quite grasp what he had just done, and he didn't know how his friends would treat him from now on. He didn't know what the future would bring, and it scared him, it scared him that his status would shake now, people would question his actions, many more prying eyes would be following him. 

But what was worth getting all the weird looks from his friends, was Marco. Marco, who had watched the situation closely, and was now glancing at Auba from behind his back as he walked towards the school with Matze. Marco, who was now smiling proudly at his boyfriend, again reminding Auba of what was truly important. 

 

\---

 

Marco sat on the park bench, excitedly fiddling with his smartphone and listening to music as he was waiting for his boyfriend. 

He was so proud of Auba, so so proud of his boyfriend who had just taken the first scary step towards being a better person and also acting like one. 

When Marco had seen Matze being in trouble he of course had gotten a little scared himself, feeling certain hopelessness for not being able to help his friend who was clearly in a bad situation. He hadn't expected Auba to start taking determined steps towards his direction, and what had really amazed him, had been Auba's sure voice when he had talked to his friends, making clear what he thought about the situation. 

Auba had sounded really sure about his words, he had been really convincing and Marco had watched in awe as soon all of Auba's friends had started to back away, and let Matze going. Matze had run straight to Marco, almost shaking but not being able to stop looking at the situation, curious about what would happen himself. 

But what had happened next was something Marco wasn't really sure of, Auba's words had been too quiet for him to hear and somehow, the situation had ended really quickly, Auba just starting to walk to the other direction while his friends had simply stood there, still dumbfounded of what had happened. 

Finding out about what had happened in the end was only one of the things that Marco was looking forward to talk about with Auba, once he'd get to the park where they had agreed to meet. First of all Marco would congratulate Auba for doing the right thing and of course thank him for doing it even though Marco knew that it wasn't easy for him to do such a thing; to do something unfamiliar to him, to do something that wasn't considered as normal around his group of friends. 

Marco waited for a while more, humming to the tune of his favorite song, he was in a great mood. He tapped his foot against the ground, but then looked up, as he saw someone approaching him. It was Auba, with a devastated and worried look on his face. 

Marco gulped and dropped his headphones instantly, getting up to face his boyfriend. 

"Hey, is something wrong?" Marco asked immediately, getting right by Auba's side, who still looked stressed. 

"Hey, and no, nothing is, I guess," he answered, his voice low.

"Don't lie to me, tell me what's wrong!" Marco demanded. 

Auba sighed and rubbed his eyes, before he took a deep breath and started to speak: "It was just so awkward! For the rest of the day after that incident with Matze, Mats and everybody were so weird with me! I guess that they were more or less trying to act normally around me, although I know that they don't understand why I did what I did. They tried not to show me their surprisal and tried to play it cool, but I know that once I left they talked about what had happened, and I guess that now I'm just waiting for the consequences, if there will be some. I know that technically I'm still the 'leader' but this will definitely shake my status a lot. Not that I mind it, what I mind is that they didn't understand anything what I tried to tell them! They don't understand what's so wrong with harassing innocent people like that!" 

Marco listened to Auba's words, completely surprised to see Auba this vulnerable. He felt affection rising in his chest, he wanted to hug Auba so much but them being in public place and Marco hugging him would not have done good to add Auba's anxiety. "Auba, please, don't be hard on yourself for not getting them to understand, you did everything you possibly could have!" Marco tried to console Auba. 

"Are you sure? I should have been able to tell them off and tell them just how wrong it is what they're doing... I somehow need to make them stop, but what if they don't listen to me anymore?" 

"I'm sure they will! You said that they are your friends because they really like you, right?" 

"I guess so..." Auba mumbled. 

"Then they will listen to you again and you can try to explain again, this was a huge step already. You know that I'm really proud, don't you?" 

"Really?" Auba's face lit up. 

"Of course! I'm so proud, you have no idea how much it meant to me that you stood up for my friend! It was amazing what you did there," Marco said, again wishing to touch Auba and moving his hand, only stopping it on the last second. 

"I'd do anything for you. And of course this is for me too, it's about time I get my shit together," Auba joked, half-heartedly.

"I'd do so much for you too, so much," Marco said and smiled, suddenly coming up with a new idea of what exactly he could do for Auba.


	14. Closeness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy it's been such a long time since the last time I posted a chapter of this story but here I finally am again!   
> I hope that you'll like this chapter, as always, sorry for all the mistakes, I only read it through once.  
> Thank you so much for all the encouraging feedback you've given me, it means so much!

The next couple of days passed by rather peacefully, with nothing special happening. 

The tension that had built between Auba and his friends had slowly started to evaporate, painfully slowly, actually, but Auba had taken it, he had expected nothing less. He had hung out with them and slowly they had seemed to forget about the incident which necessary wasn't a good thing. 

Auba's friends had fallen back into their old habits of trying to act like they owned the school, and acted like they were superior to anyone else. Auba had found himself going along with them on a few occasions, unintentionally. He was also falling into his old bad habits but at least he was trying to get rid of them, unlike the rest of his friends who didn't seem to care what was going on around them as long as their positions would be secured. 

Marco had also taken a few days to spend with his friends, as if it were the old days before they had gotten to know each other. Auba saw Marco at school only on rare occasions, smiling at Marco when he saw him. He was happy to see Marco happy like that, spending time with his friends, laughing with them and being the Marco he had been before he had met Auba. 

The Marco before he had met Auba was gone now, sadly. Auba knew that he could get Marco into a lot of trouble if he wasn't careful. If his friends found out about their relationship without Auba warning them first. Even if Auba was the 'leader' of the school now, it didn't mean that his friends wouldn't take the chance to take his position if they got one. 

Getting through these couple of days had been tough but okay, but now, Auba was starting to miss Marco. They hadn't had proper time to spend together, Marco busied with school work and catching up with his friends, Auba busied with helping his parents with work around the house and getting his grades better. Of course they had been texting throughout every day, but it wasn't quite the same as meeting in person.

Luckily Marco had seemed to miss Auba too, because he had invited Auba over on Friday, and now Auba was again on his way to Marco's place.

He knocked on the door, and patiently waited for it to open, smiling brightly. He wasn't afraid or nervous to be around Marco anymore, he had gotten to know him very well and didn't have to feel embarrassed around him anymore. 

Only that he lost his smile the instant the door opened. 

Staring at him wasn't Marco, but some girl who looked alarmingly much like Marco. 

"Hey, you must be Auba!" She squeaked, taking a hold of Auba's hand and pulling him inside, leaving Auba with his mouth hanging open and his body tense. He hadn't expected this. 

"Mel! I told you not to!" Marco screamed, descending down the stairs, in the process of pulling his shirt down. "I'm sorry, I wasn't quite ready yet and Mel here, my sister, was supposed to be out of the door by now," Marco said, throwing a glare at his sister. 

"Don't worry, it's all right really..." Auba said, still not quite recovered from his shock. 

"I just wanted to see if you really are boyfriend material for my bro! And based on what I see, you are..." Mel said and laughed but started to put on his shoes. 

"Melanie I swear to God..." Marco said, getting closer to Auba. He mouthed an inaudible 'sorry' as he got closer but Auba just shook his head smiling. 

"Fine fine, I'm going, have a great evening!" She said, and with a wink closed the door behind her. Auba let out a loud breath, he didn't even realize he had been holding his breath. 

"I'm sorry about that... Anyways, now we're alone, I managed to get everyone out," Marco said, turning to Auba and putting his hands around his waist, surprising Auba. 

Auba just smiled at Marco, being happy to see him again, and also to see him like this. Marco was very homely, he hadn't probably carefully picked up his clothes (even though of course they looked gorgeous on him anyway), and his hair wasn't as styled as it had been for the first few times they had gone out. Marco looked more Marco than ever, and Auba found it incredibly attractive, not to mention that he hadn't expected this kind of reception. Marco had pulled him close to him, almost hugging him but staying far enough to be able to look into his eyes. 

"That's a good thing..." Auba mumbled, starting to get a little blushed already, the image of Marco pulling his shirt down still vivid in his mind, put he pushed it away, reminding himself that even if Marco was 'saying hello' to him this enthusiastically, it didn't mean that he wanted to go further. 

"I missed you," Marco said, rising on his toes to kiss Auba briefly. 

"Missed you too," Auba mumbled, starting to draw soothing patterns on Marco's back, who shivered in a delighted way. 

"Let's go to my room," Marco simply said, starting to guide Auba to the stairs that instant, making Auba a little startled. If they had the whole house to themselves, why did Marco want to go to his room?

Auba however followed without objecting, getting up the stairs right behind Marco, who turned back to look at him, as soon as they reached his room. 

A strange flicker of emotion sparkled in Marco's eyes for the tiniest moment, as he bit his lips, and took a few hesitant steps closer to Auba, before he put his arms on his chest and kissed him. 

Auba was startled by Marco's approach, so far Marco hadn't been the one to start kissing him, Marco hadn't been the one to search for intimacy on levels like this. Auba put his hands around Marco, instantly, pulling him closer, so that their entire bodies were pressed against each other. 

Marco seemed to be very sure of what he was doing as he kissed Auba, making Auba breathless in a record time. Marco curled his tongue around Auba's, kissing him deeply, playfully biting Auba's lower lip occasionally, making Auba wantonly run his hands along Marco's spine.

The kiss didn't seem to be enough for Marco because in addition he pulled away a little bit and threw away his shirt, doing the same to Auba, who moved along. 

"Oh Marco..." Auba breathed, looking at Marco's body greedily. He moved his gaze and luckily noticed that his boyfriend's eyes still sparkled brightly. 

Marco simply winked, and Auba wondered where had Marco gotten this much courage so suddenly, but Marco stopped his wondering by moving his hands that were slightly shaking, and put them on Auba's ass, making Auba gasp. 

"A-are you okay with this?" Marco asked, now letting some of his insecurity show as he guided one of his hands closer to Auba's front, and then, placed it on Auba's hard manhood. 

"Hell yes!" Auba simply said, and with those words, Marco smiled and opened Auba's jeans, putting his hand on his cock again, this time, only covered by Auba's briefs. 

"Oh God so good..." Auba simply mumbled, his legs starting to shake a bit by the ministration Marco was giving him. Marco started to move his hand up and down carefully, the entire time his eyes glued to Auba's face. 

Auba couldn't hold the gasps that were escaping his lips, Marco was so perfect in every aspect he could imagine, and now, the boy who he desired so much was giving him a handjob. It was almost too much for Auba to take, and he bit his lip hardly to avoid coming into his briefs. 

Marco however went even further, slipping his hand into Auba's briefs, starting to stroke Auba without any garment between his hand and Auba's hard manhood. Auba immediately knew that he had lost the battle, and didn't even try to hold his orgasm back.   
"I'm gonna come!" He simply announced and then came, shooting his load into Marco's fist and partly his stomach as he closed his eyes.

He gasped his breath as he came down from his high, all the while Marco still stroking his cock. Auba opened his eyes again, gulping loudly as he was still gasping. 

Marco looked back at him with the most wonderful smile on his face. 

 

\---

 

"I can't believe I just did that!" Marco said, but smiled the brightest smile he could manage. 

He had actually just give Auba a handjob, he had given him a orgasm. Marco couldn't be prouder right now. 

Just a few weeks ago he hadn't even thought that such interaction between him and anyone could be possible, and now he had just done this with Auba, who had without a doubt enjoyed it as much as Marco had enjoyed giving him the handjob. 

This was what he had been planning for the past couple of days he hadn't been with Auba. Since Auba had been brave with helping Matze back then, Marco had wanted to be a little brave and go a little further with their relationship. Of course he had wanted to do that, he had just been a little afraid to do it, but he had, and he was so proud of himself, and happy to see Auba smiling at him with a satisfied look on his face. 

"Oh God, and how you did it!" Auba said, leaning down to kiss Marco again, and pull him closer, taking a firm grip of his ass. 

Auba's hungry lips on his and his hands on his ass made Marco suddenly very aware of his own hard cock pressing against his jeans, and he let out a quiet moan.

Marco's hips started to thrust against Auba's at first, but then stopped when he felt Auba taking one of his hands off his ass and guiding it to his front, opening his jeans in one awkward movement, before he slipped his hand into Marco's briefs.

The feeling was surreal, Marco had known that it would feel good but this he hadn't expected. Auba's warm hand made his cock leak precome in an alarming rate and Marco instantly knew that he wouldn't last long, this was going to be over so fast. 

He moaned and let his head fall on Auba's shoulder, as Auba held him, and slowly started to move his hand up and down, stroking Marco into incredible heights. Marco could hardly keep his hips still but somehow he managed, and the only thing he could concentrate on was Auba's hand making wonders. He could do nothing to the feeling of his orgasm approaching rapidly.

"Auba, I'm gonna- oh God I'm gonna co-" was all he managed to say before he bit his lip hard and came, shooting his load against Auba's hand. 

He simply stayed there, completely spent and utterly happy, not being able to do anything else than raise his head and smile at Auba. 

The moment was simply unreal, Marco was so happy at this exactly moment, and he was fairly certain that he'd stay this happy for a while, which made him smile even happier.

If only Marco knew what tomorrow would bring.


	15. Bad choices and comforting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's been awfully long since the last chapter but I've kind of been writing less and less because a lot of things are happening in my life right now.   
> I do hope that you'll like this chapter though, feedback would be incredible, thank you so much for leaving kudos and comments x   
> (Sorry that there might be some spelling mistakes etc, I only read this through once)

Auba found himself looking at the beautiful blonde, namely Marco, sitting on one of the front seats. Marco looked so gorgeous, sitting next to Erik and chatting with him quietly as the teacher was starting the lesson. Auba sat at the back of the classroom, next to Ilkay, who was babbling on and on endlessly about the party he had been to last weekend, but Auba wasn't really listening to him. 

Instead, he was staring at Marco, and thinking about it, it seemed to be the only thing he had been capable of doing for the past couple of days. If he hadn't been looking at Marco, he had been thinking about him, about their time together, his eyes, his looks, his personality, all the things they had talked about and just all in all about what a wonderful person Marco was. 

Of course some of Auba's thoughts hadn't been that innocent, especially after their 'first time'. Auba hadn't expected Marco to go that far with him, that soon, but since Marco had been ready for it Auba had been more than happy to go along, and he had become even happier when he had seen what kind of pleasure he could give Marco. Marco had been so responding to his touches, Auba hadn't thought that he could have such an effect on him but he was thrilled that he did. 

And oh what an effect did Marco have on him. Auba had never felt that good in his life as he had felt when Marco had given him that hand job, he had never felt that ecstatic. It had been so perfect, and Auba couldn't wait for the next time it would happen. 

He shifted awkwardly on his seat as he felt his body reacting to his thoughts, and tried to focus on the lesson that was about to start. 

The teacher started to ask if the students had done their homework and student after student, the teacher got answers of yes, before it came to Auba's group of friends, of which almost everyone were present. They kept saying no and some of them didn't even bother to raise their books on their desks. They didn't seem to care at all, and the teacher noticed it too, looking unhappy as she had to mark the students as present and yet again mark that none of them had done their homework. 

Auba glanced at his own papers, feeling a lump forming in his throat yet again. He had done his homework, together with Marco, they were on point and surely correct, he had put so much effort on them and he had been so happy when he had succeeded with everything. He could be proud and say that he had done it all, done them well and answer the teachers questions. 

Except that he couldn't. 

The teacher kept asking the names and was coming closer to Auba's name, when the moment came and Auba took a deep breath, trying to end the debate in his mind. "And Pierre?" 

Auba was silent for a moment that wasn't appropriate before he said: "no, I haven't done them." 

He had to hold himself back for not saying anything after the teacher threw him a disappointed look and continued questioning the students. Goddamn he hated himself for this, but he had no other choice, or he did, but he felt like he didn't have any other choices. He had been a coward again, he had played the tough guy. He hadn't dared to be different. 

He glanced quickly at Marco who answered the teacher and looked back at Auba somewhat sadly, and immediately Auba knew that he had disappointed Marco.

Auba hadn't been brave this time, and with that though, he fell silent and simply stared at the desk in front of him, the happiness he had had when the lesson had started, gone. 

 

\---

 

Marco typed on his phone quickly, feeling a constant frown pulling his face down. 

From: Marco  
To: Auba  
"PE building dressing room, now." -

Marco sat on the bench of the empty dressing room, waiting for Auba to arrive. If he arrived. 

He simply wanted to talk to Auba, about what had happened. They had done the homework together with Auba just yesterday, and Auba had been so proud for being able to do the equations by himself. And now, he had just told that he hadn't made them. Was it because of peer pressure? Did Auba say that he hadn't done them just because the rest of his friends had said the same? 

Marco knew that this situation couldn't continue. He had always thought that Auba would be the brave one, the one to be able to step up but Auba didn't seem to have the courage to do it so far. Auba had done it with Matze, but this time, even though it was only a simple question of whether he had done his homework or not, he hadn't been able to do the right thing. 

It was sad that Auba was so worried about everybody else's opinion all the time, it was so sad and Marco wished that there was something he could do about it. He was going to talk with Auba now because he knew that Auba must not be feeling too proud of himself and Marco wanted to comfort him, but also remind him that he shouldn't have to do this. 

There was still no sign of Auba even though he had seen the message Marco had sent him, and it was starting to concern Marco before the door finally opened and Auba stepped into the locker room. 

A very sad-looking Auba, to be particular. 

"I'm sorry," he said right after he stepped into the locker room. "I should've said that I had done the homework. You helped me so much with it and I know that this might sound like I don't care at all." 

Marco was speechlessly looking at Auba, who stayed a couple of meters away from Marco. "No, don't be sorry!" Marco said. 

"Why did you call me here then, don't you expect and explanation or an apology?" Auba asked, sounding surprised. 

"No! Of course I don't expect an explanation." Marco tried to sound honest, taking steps closer to Auba. "I thought that you might want to talk about it, and honestly, I want to talk about this." 

Auba sighed before he dared to look into Marco's eyes. "I'm mad that it had to go like that. I swear I was at the point of saying that I had done them, but then I just packed away. How ridiculous is that? This is so stupid! I can't even have the courage to tell the teacher what I want! I should be able to say whatever I want, and one would think that I could do that because in everybody's eyes I'm the one 'running the show'. Yet I can't, I feel so much pressure!" Auba said, obviously letting out some of the pressure, hitting the wall. He was clearly very stressed about the situation. 

Marco had been about to say something like this couldn't continue anymore, but the beat-up look on Auba's face made him swallow his words. He wasn't that sure if he understood the situation after all. Maybe this was Auba's life, and he would have to live it the way he had used to?   
"Well, you know, saying that you hadn't done your homework isn't too serious a thing. Maybe it's okay that you'd said that you hadn't done..." Marco began , sounding ridiculous even to his ears before Auba stopped him. 

"No Marco, it's not okay. I don't want the situation to be like this, I don't want to continue living like this. There must be something I can do. I will do it, for me, and for you." 

"Me? Why me?" Marco asked, nearly choking on his own words. 

"Because you are the one who I want to be with. You are what I want. All the rest doesn't matter. I just need to find a way to let go of it." 

Marco was yet again wordless as he looked at Auba, who again had determination in his eyes. Auba, who had just told him that Marco was what he wanted. Marco took a few steps towards Auba, and hung his hands around his neck. 

"You are what I want, too. And I will wait for you, I know that you can let go of all that and show the world what being a good person is. Because you're a good person, a great person in fact," Marco said, and with those words kissed Auba.

Auba kissed him back, slowly letting their tongues entangle, for a moment forgetting that they were in a dressing room. 

Sadly, both of them remembered it right away when they heard a few voices that laughed, and the door opened.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, I'd love to hear your thoughts :-)


End file.
